Dreamer
by Retorica
Summary: "It's... unfair. If I can smile and be free, why can't the others?" Make her smile, and free him from the dream. A story about friendship, life, dream, and love. [ RinxLen, slight MikuxRin – Character Death ]
1. Chapter 1

~~Eeeek! Typed this in my phone, didn't think it would look so awkward on the standard site (the way the paragraphs look). Maybe that's why I prefer using the mobile site for reading.

Disclaimer (for the rest of the story): I don't own the characters, they belong to Crypton Future Media.

...using Cryptonloids for now. If I use other company's characters later I will put another disclaimer since I'll _still_ don't own the characters.

* * *

><p>Chapter 1<p>

* * *

><p>I stare ahead to the empty hallway-like place. I step one foot ahead, then continue to walk forward following the hallway.<p>

A door that waits at the end of the hallway prevents me from walking any further.

Grabbing the doorknob without thinking about anything else, then I turn the knob.

An almost empty room is behind the door. I walk automatically without knowing where my legs take me to one end of the relatively huge room.

I can see someone who is staring back at me. The person's mouth moves, as if telling me something.

Though the words don't reach my ears at all.

* * *

><p>Looking at the blank blackboard in front of the class, I yawn. All of this is caused my lack of sleep. It's not like I couldn't sleep—I can, but don't feel like sleeping at all.<p>

I think my restless sleep was caused by an unpleasant dream, but I can't remember my dream.

While I'm trying to remember, the class breaks into a crowd, just like usual. Their loud voice can enter my ears, although I don't pay any attention to any of them.

Sometimes, I wish the class could be calmer. No, I don't hate the noise—I can't hate people who are having fun—it's just the volume that needs to be turned lower. A bit.

"Thinking of something, Rin-chan?" A soft voice calling from my side snaps me out from my thought.

I recognize the voice immediately and replied to the person, "Good morning, Miku-chan."

"Morning." She says, still with that soft voice of her. And after that, she looks away and I know, her thought is wandering away somewhere.

She has been like that from the first time I met her. Until now, I still haven't known what had caused her to be like that, but I know something.

I'm the one who has to change her.

From the first time I saw her... At that moment, I wasn't in mood to have a chat with the others. I accidentally spotted her somewhere in the classroom.

Sorry, I mean, I spotted her in the classroom. There's no accident, right? Because I believe that was the start of our (her and I) friendship.

Everyone I know from my class are the lucky person—they can laugh everywhere they want, they can easily speak to each other, they are _happy_. Having happiness is luck, I think—but she was the only one who prefers to sit alone, gazing out through the window and stays silent.

No, she isn't a bullied kid. Everyone wants to be friends with her. But the one and only thing that makes her all alone like that is herself.

She's the one who locked herself up from social relation.

But I managed to break her barrier _a bit_ and slowly pulling her out from the cage she has made by trying to be her friend.

I really should consider myself to be lucky that she actually accepts me as her friend. So then I can make her smile sometime...

"Rin-chan?" Her voice rings again in my head, really snapping me out from my thought. "The teacher has come..."

"Oh, yeah..." I say, facing the board and quickly set my brain to pay attention to the teacher.

* * *

><p>"Actually something is kind of... Distracting my mind, so..." I trail off. Miku and I are having lunch together under the tree on the school's field while chatting about school things. "I can't guarantee my score to be good..."<p>

She gives me a confused yet worried look, "Something distracts your mind? What is it?"

I shake my head. Telling that to Miku is a bad idea—I made her worried, wasn't I? "It's nothing. Just... I had a dream last night but can't remember it... No need to worry about that." I offer her a smile. "Then, why shouldn't we start to talk about our project to make a display? It's lucky that I got to be paired with you, Miku-chan."

She looks surprised for no reason for a while before she covers it up with an 'okay' face, looking down to the well-watered grassy field, "Y-yeah, I'm happy as well to be paired with Rin-chan..."

She might not notice it but I know, she's hiding something that has one or more things to do with working together with me.

* * *

><p>The empty hallway again, I'm walking alone again. But now I start to have my brain working. I can feel that I have visited this place before.<p>

But how did I get here in the first place?

Having no idea, it comes into my head. Panic, one thing that's in my mind.

Deciding to find _any_ door, I walk down the hallway. Until I see a door.

Hesitating whether to open the door or not, my mind still processing everything I got. But I really need to open this door, my mind said that.

Following what my mind said to me, I open the door. A room waits behind it.

An old looking room dominated by brown, looks just empty without anything in particular in the room. It just leads to some other doors.

Should I open the door?

"It's you again." A voice calls from behind. I really don't expect anyone to be in the room, of course I jump slightly from my place, startled.

I quickly turn around to see whoever talking to me. "Wh—"

A boy about my age (actually I don't want to mention that he technically could pass as my identical twin brother, but...), standing behind me.

But who is he?

He doesn't give me a smile, but continue to stare at me. Then he sighs, "Don't know where to go?" He asks.

I have no idea of what he's talking about, I continue to stare at him, still speechless.

"What do you want for this time?" Though I don't answer his first question, he continues to ask me another question, his eyes still fixed on me. "An adventure? A scary one? A sad one? Or—"

"Stop talking." I command, "I don't understand what you're talking about and you don't stop asking me question. Take a break and let me ask something—where am I?"

His expression doesn't change, "This is a dream." He says simply.

"A... What?"


	2. Chapter 2

~~Didn't get a good reception, eh? Maybe I would say that line to get a pity review: "If no one even cares, I'm going to delete this story."

Not happening, like that's going to happen...

...but something like that is happening in this site, but seriously, if you get no review doesn't mean no one reads your story. Think about those silent reader (me included) and those one who is lazy to leave a review (me included). But no! Don't do that! Be a good reader (because I'm not, sorry) and tell your world *shot* your opinion!

What a way of saying "Review please!" Please enjoy.

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

* * *

><p>"A dream." He repeats easily. "And I don't know how did you get here but this is the place where you can decide what dream you want."<p>

I only half believe his words. I never have been in such 'dream' before, especially this one where you can choose your dream...

"You were going to open a 'happy dream'. Do you want to continue with that or you want to choose something else?"

I think of nothing but one.

That boy is saying ridiculous thing. And I'm not going to 'continue' and 'open the door'.

"I'm going nowhere." I say sternly. "First, I can't believe in you because I have no idea who you are. Second, what's the difference between this dream and the ones behind the doors? Last, you're asking me to go through the door but you're not going in?"

He shifts his gaze away from me for a split second, "We need to have a little talk, but not here. And as you can see, I can't go anywhere."

"Why?" I ask, though my question gets answered without a word.

There are chains on his arms and legs. I can't see where those got chained, but maybe it's really chaining him.

"But there's one place I can go." He says shortly before the whole scene changed, from a room with doors to a pale colored room with some comfortable chairs and nice furniture.

I try my best not to think about how illogical this whole thing is. It's _just_ a dream.

And from my own experience, it's not usual at all for me to be able to think in my dream. Usually everything goes in order, the people in it just follow the order. Just like dolls. Maybe I had a dream about being an adventurer (those ones in RPGs, I mean), and I don't even question it. _How_?

But this time, it's different. Everything is too real to be a dream, but has the logic of 'dream'. And he had said that this is a dream.

"Have a seat." His voice snaps me out from my thought, and I do what he said instantly.

After we have a seat, however, the atmosphere becomes awkward with no single voice comes from any of our mouths.

"N... Nice room." I comment.

He looks around and adds a comment as well, "Have no idea how this place exists from the first place. Now about your questions..."

Ah yes, we're supposed to talk about that. "So, what's your explanation?"

"For the first one," He starts, "I understand if you don't believe in me, I'm okay with that. Perhaps this talk might make us know each other better, only if you got the chance to see me again."

I only nod.

"For the second, it's nothing I could explain—this whole thing isn't what I used to know."

"Are you saying that you don't belong here?" I ask dumbly, I don't even know I can be _that dumb_.

"No, though I do realize this is a dream. I'm dreaming, just like you."

People meeting inside a dream, is that possible? Or maybe it's just a new thing for me...

"But how?" I ask. Really, asking thing that shouldn't be asked... I'm doing a complete useless thing.

"I never meet anyone else, actually." He says.

Then how does he know that the doors in the previous room lead to various dreams when he can't go in and never meets anyone else before?

But I decide to keep that question, not speaking it out. I shall not add the question list from 3 to 4 when one last question hasn't been answered.

"But yesterday I saw you here, and that's my first time seeing someone else in this dream." He says. "It must be a lucky fate for me."

Right, I remember.

My dream in the previous night was walking in the hallway, found a door and met him inside.

With that, I wake up from my sleep, once again facing the real world with the dream drawn well inside my head.

Nothing I want to forget.

* * *

><p>For the rest of the day, everything goes smoothly. I am in a good mood and the weather reflects it, nothing else is needed to complete this already perfect day...<p>

But Miku.

I have planned to go to her house to do the project, but she said, "My house? It's a bit painful."

I don't fully understand what she meants by 'painful', but it implies that she doesn't want to do the project in her house. So I just have to go along and choose that other option—to do the project in my house.

Both my parents are still working out there, and I'm the only child. So the house is empty but me and Miku. The project is to make a display so we do that in the living room where the space is bigger. At least bigger than the very-narrow empty space in my room.

"You house is nice, Rin-chan." Miku compliments.

I smile at her, "Thank you Miku-chan, though I do nothing to the house—all done by my parents, from the color of the wall down to the tiles."

"Your family sounds nice." She says. "And are you the only child?"

"Yeah." I say while nodding, "Sometimes I imagine what it feels to have a sibling, but I'm okay with being the only child for now... And ever. And Miku-chan, do you have any siblings?"

"No, I'm the only child as well." She says with that usual soft voice of her. "I'm looking forward to be able to deliver child because there's no way for me for getting a sibling."

I guess she's talking about 'my parents are too old already to have another child', and I can see that she likes little children. They're innocent and naïve. I would probably give the same opinion about children, they're adorable.

"Children are lovely, especially the little ones." She says. So I was right about that... "I just realized that I love seeing little children when I saw my friend's sibling who was really cute and small." She giggles a bit after the 'small'.

But don't think that giggle of yours could hide the sadness I see in your eyes once you mentioned that, Miku.

...though I'm pretty glad that she actually giggles in front of me, though it's just to cover her sadness. At least she opens up more to me.

But what had made her sad and become like that is one thing I need to know.

"Rin-chan, may I ask something?" She asks in a curious tone.

"No need to ask for it, just go right to the point, Miku-chan..." I say, waving my hand.

Her mouth forms a little smile, "What made you so happy today? Something good happened?"

"Of course, I had a nice dream last night and I can remember it well." I say, not mentioning that the dream feels real and it's ridiculous _but still_, meeting someone in the dream is something I've never done before.

"Oh, I see..." She says as she continues to cut the paper with the scissor. "It must be nice to have a nice dream..."

Then it's my turn to give her a weird stare, "What do you mean by that?"

"Nightmares used to eat me, Rin-chan." She says calmly. "Not that often lately, I'm partly glad of it."

Continuing to look at her face, I pause from my work for a moment.

She adds after that, "Maybe it's the time to keep my head faced forward so I don't have to look back anymore."

"...eh?" I utter lowly, confused with her words. Does she mean that something happened in her past?

She smiles at me, "Nothing to worry about, just pretend that I never said that."

A part of me wants to do what she said—to forget what she had said earlier—but I can't.


	3. Chapter 3

~~Valentine's day? My friend made some 'single cake' for the singles, and actually it tastes really good... Glad being single...

Less views? People don't seem to like this story... Hmm, the main pairing is actually one-sided Rin x Len, but putting that in the character selection doesn't seem... _Right_. Maybe I'll just change the summary again... (And I've changed it...)

Well, enjoy~

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

* * *

><p>'A lucky fate', as he said that. I meet him again inside the dream about 3 days after my last meeting. In the exact same place, and he's in the usual attire just like before.<p>

I don't think he would change that clothing of his, so it's not a matter. But he's wearing a long sleeved shirt plus a sweater, and scarf. I can't imagine how it feels to wear something that thick when it's not cold.

I have said it before, not going to add more questions to the question list. Save it for later, maybe.

"We meet again." He says.

"Sure we are." I give him a smile as I make my way to the chair and have a seat. "How are you?"

"I'm perfectly fine." He answers. "And I suppose you are."

"Perfect guess." I say. "Then, you haven't answered my third question. It's the time for you to do that because I still have several questions to be asked."

"I'm looking forward to hear the question. It might be a bit hard to keep answering your questions, though... You're that kind of person."

"...what kind of person?" I ask, completely clueless.

"Who will keep searching for information to solve the mystery of life _or_ someone's life. Don't you thing you're invading someone's life?"

"I don't think so." I only smile at that. "It's for the sake of someone's happiness."

"So you really do that, at first it's just my guess that you _do_ trying to know what's behind someone's past." He says. "Let's not talk about that. Don't you want me to answer the question?"

"Sure I am, sorry for the interruption." I let out a slight laugh.

"The third question is about the dreams behind the doors." He explains, "Because the 'real' dream is behind the door. I don't know about this place, but it just... Different. Don't you feel the same? That actually this dream isn't a plotted dream."

"A plot..." I mutter. "And the ones behind the door is plotted?"

"It seems." He says. "Want to have a try? We can go back to the room of doors."

"No, I'm staying here. Still have questions to ask, that's why." I say. "But my first dream of meeting you is plotted... Why is that?"

"Right? More question is thrown. Let me finish the third one first." He gives me a slight smirk. "As long as these chains still chained to me, I can't go anywhere. So I'm not going inside the door."

"Then how do you know that the real dream is behind the door...?" I ask with a playful suspicious look.

"Intuition." He says simply with a smile.

"Seriously..." I mutter under my breath. I was actually going to believe this person's _intuition_. I should learn not to believe in people easily.

It's not that I believe in him, I only half-believed everything he said.

At least I've put a bit of my belief on him. Even though just a bit... I've taken it seriously that this is a dream, and that he can't go anywhere...

And it makes me realize something.

"Wait, are you really saying you can't go anywhere but the 'room of doors'? Then what about the real world?" I snap loudly with a tone of disbelief.

"Can't go there either." He says easily as if it was nothing, he even blinks his eyes twice, probably startled by my sudden outburst.

"Eh?" I ask. "Does that also mean that you don't wake up?"

"Well... I don't know, maybe? I don't even know where I am right now—I mean, the real me in the real world—and what happened before I end up here." He smiles. "Must be in a long sleep, then."

A long sleep? How long, I wonder...?

He's not dead, right? That illogical thought just entered my mind though it got corrected by my own mind shortly after that. How could a dead person dream?

"I lost the track of time, not knowing when the morning or night... Everything is just the same here." He says. "Is it night now?"

"I suppose it is." I say. "I don't sleep but at night—a habit of mine, I think."

Now everything's starting to sound horrible for me. To be chained inside a dream, without being able to know the time, all _alone_. I can't imagine being like that.

It must be really lonely.

While I think about that, I find myself back in my room, lying on my bed as the sunlight peeks through the very small openings on the curtains.

I guess I told him the wrong information. If I was still there, I would say, "Hey, actually it's morning already..."

And to think that I don't know what his name... Just makes me want to know it.


	4. Chapter 4

~~Wednesday, I had to study. Yesterday, I couldn't log in. So the update is today...

Also, thank you very much for Emanon-san for reviewing the last chapter! Sankyuu!

I just realized lately that in the previous chapter mentions 'plotted dream'... I seriously went, "...plotted?" when I took a look of it. I updated without proofreading the chapter -_- It's not a matter, I think.

Whoever reading this, enjoy. I'll be glad if any of you spare your time to review this... Ahaha, I actually never like to ask review, it sounds awkward~

(Note: Chapters are getting shorter...?)

* * *

><p>Chapter 4<p>

* * *

><p>"I think we should change the scene of our workspace and do the project somewhere else. Why don't we do the rest of project in your house, Miku-chan? It's going to be finished soon anyway…" I say as I paste the paper I'm holding to the board—the project we're working on.<p>

The sound of paper being cut by the scissors comes to an abrupt halt.

I turn my gaze from the glue stick I'm holding in my right hand to Miku who seems to be frozen. She doesn't seem to like my idea of going to her house.

"What's wrong?" I ask, pretending to be innocent and clueless. "I'm curious how would your house look like, Miku-chan."

"Actually it's okay for me." She says calmly, so that the panic I feel in her won't be revealed. "So when are we going to go? Tomorrow?"

"That would be nice." I say with a smile. "So, tomorrow at your house?"

"Yes." She smiles back at me.

We continue the work as if we never talked about that before. It's good so far, I even get the chance to go to her house.

Don't you think you're making problem for yourself, making everything more complicated, Miku?

I still don't understand why she refuses to smile and be happy like the others.

* * *

><p>I haven't gone to a normal dream since that time I met him. I always dream of meeting him, or not dreaming at all. Truthfully, I feel glad to have someone else to talk to, even in my dream.<p>

And I gain more trust in him. I know that because I start to talk about my life to him.

"You're too kind." He comments after I told him about Miku, not mentioning her name, though. "You even try to know her past to know what had caused all of that so she can smile once again."

"Don't say such things like that." I say. "If I can be happy, why don't the others? And if I can stand by someone's side, why not?" I let out a sigh. "She's... She looks lonely, even though she acts like she doesn't need any friend. Actually she's just... Uh. So while I can, I will be on her side, as her friend."

"Ah." He smiles. "It must be nice to have a friend like you, that one who really wants to make you happy."

"...don't you have any?" I ask bluntly, not caring about his upcoming reaction hearing my question.

"What do you think about that? Do I look like having any?" He asks back.

"Not at all, in fact." I say with a playful smile on my face.

Actually this person is pretty friendly if you know him better…

"I'm just kidding, of course." I say. "Since you said I'm the first person you meet in this place, I'm offering to make a social link."

"Social link?"

"Why don't we be friends while I'm here?" I say. "It must be lonely to be here all by yourself, unable to talk to anyone else. And practically you can't do anything here... Then what did you do before we met each other?" My statement turns into a question at the end.

"Me? I don't do anything." He says.

"Seriously?" I ask. Why he can say ridiculous, unbelievable things calmly? "How about trying to get out?"

He holds the chain on his right arm with his left hand, then he jerked it. "Have tried it several times but it's still no use. I can't even see where I got chained to."

"Ah." I mutter as I once again looking at the endless chain. It's seriously endless—the chains disappear from my sight before it even ends.

"Hey." He calls. I turn my head to him and I can see him smiling at me. "What is your name?"

Is that a sign that he wants to be friends with me? Knowing each other better by asking my name? Of course I'm really glad that he asked that, so I can know his name as well. "My name is Rin. Last name really doesn't matter, eh?"

"It really doesn't matter. And nice name, anyway." He says. "And how should I call you?"

"'Rin' is fine. And oh, no 'san' or 'chan' or 'sama'. _Just_ Rin and don't you dare to add anything else." I say, joking around with a serious threatening voice.

He stands up from his seat, "Then I will call you Rin just like what you want." He walks closer to me. "Last name doesn't matter, right? So you can call me—"

My dream always ends whenever it still want it to continue. I let out a long yawn, stretching my body lazily on my bed. Then I roll my body to face the curtain-covered window. It looks like the weather is not going to be nice judging from my darker-than-usual room.

"At least I managed to know your name… Len."

* * *

><p>~~Social link, seriously? I don't even play Persona... For now.<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

~~Let's say... I forgot yesterday was Kaito's birthday... Happy late birthday, Nii-san "orz

This is random but ever heard of Yume no Katachi by FuwariP? That song is lovely~ And it's on Nico now → sm16999365

So, I got one more review. Thank you very much for Halios Mililios-san for the review!

...is this not good enough? But enjoy the next chapter (sigh).

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

* * *

><p>"Today's weather is going to be cloudy. I recommend everyone to bring an umbrella, considering there's a huge chance to rain."<p>

As the weather forecaster says that, I look around my room to find the folding umbrella. After I find it, I throw it into my bag.

"Today the project's going to be done in Miku-chan's house..." I say to myself, then I smile.

"I'm smiling now, why can't the others smile too? Happiness is what every single human being should have."

* * *

><p>Dark, thick clouds are already hanging above our head, like it's going to pour down the rain down to the earth anytime soon.<p>

I hurried my walking pace, not wanting to get wet at all. The main goal is: Reach the house before it rains.

Miku's house. I'm not 'reaching' my house, but Miku's to finish the project. I am walking alone by myself because Miku had left the school at lunchtime, saying that she had an errand to do. The good thing is she still kept the promise to work in her house, and she even mailed me to confirm it.

Then, I don't really realize it that I've stood right in front of her house as I think about that. I look on my phone to check whether I'm standing in front of the right house or not. The email she sent before confirms that it is her house.

Before I step my foot in, I go take a look of the house first. Her house doesn't seem to be small, and it's not that big either. The size is probably the same as mine. Other than that, everything seems to be 'normal'.

I search for a bell, then press it after I found it. Miku reveals herself not so long after I ring the bell.

"Hurry get in, it's going to rain soon." She says as she steps away from the door, giving me a permission to enter the house.

As I step a foot in, suddenly a loud crash of thunder heard from behind me. Then it followed by a sound of a heavy rain.

I laugh nervously. "Almost there. Guess I arrive in time, Miku-chan."

"It's a good thing that you're still dry." Miku says with no expression on her face. "Come in and have a seat in the guest room."

I follow her silently to the dark guest room and sit on the comfortable couch. I let out a sigh and look at the window, I really was almost going to be soaked by the rain…

The light suddenly turned on, and with that I can see everything better, including Miku who is standing near the door and she has her hand on the switch. "The weather's bad, eh?"

"You're right." I agree with her statement. "I'm glad being able to arrive in your house in time, though."

"Actually I was just arrived here as well." She says, apparently she had gone somewhere… The errand? "Now, shall we start to finish the project?"

"Sure, we shall." I say with a smile.

* * *

><p>Actually everything really is easier if it's done together… I think as I take a look of the finished project.<p>

"It finished in no time." I say. "And it's nicely done. Actually you have a great artistic skill, Miku-chan. I won't be able to draw something _that good_."

"W-well, thank you..." She says with a slight blush on her face as she turns her gaze to the floor.

"Now we're finished..." I say and I plop down to the carpeted floor. "At least there's no more burden."

I take a glance at her, and I can see her looking back at me with a look I cannot describe.

"It was nice to do the project with you, Rin-chan." She says. "I'm glad… That the teacher paired the two of us up so we can have some time together…"

"Me too." I simply say, but I'm feeling happy. Miku is enjoying these times, why won't I be happy?

But I'm still too lazy to get up from the already comfortable floor, so I stay there for 5 minutes in silence. I start to count, how many seconds get wasted by doing this? There are a bunch of other things that can be done in a simple 5 minutes, right?

I decide to get up and do something more 'productive'. Right when I'm going to sit, something under the couch attracts my eyes. I raise one of my eyebrow and look closer to the foreign item.

"Miku-chan, I think there's something under the couch…" I say without moving. Then I reach my hand out to the object to pull it out. My hand manages to grab the thing and bring it out from under the couch.

It appears to be a book. A sketch book to be more specific. I sit up quickly and clean all the dust by blowing the book softly.

"Ah!" Miku exclaims from behind me. "Thank you so much for finding this! I thought it had gone somewhere… Or got accidentally thrown away to the garbage."

"If you searched it well, actually you can find it easily—items love to hide under the table and such things." I explain.

"Never get the chance to look around for this thing, always get busied by another thing." She says as she looks at the book and examines the cover. "House chores—cooking, washing clothes never seem to has an end. And school tasks just make me busier."

I bink in awe hearing her saying that. "You do all of that by yourself?"

"Right. Since my parents had died since I was just 7 or around that age. I'm used to do things by myself." She explains calmly.

Is that what makes her becomes an anti-social? But my mind says no, it's something else. Besides, she doesn't seem to be lying about this one thing that she has used to live without her parents. But still, I make her talk about people she had lost.

Feeling guilt, I look away. "Sorry for bringing it up, Miku-chan. I didn't mean it…"

"It's okay though, I need no pity." She smiles. "I didn't live alone, actually. But with my friend."

"Really?" I ask. I really didn't expect her to be living just with her friend, and I think it's pretty fascinating.

"Right, that book you're holding is his." She says. "He loves drawing very much."

She lives with _a boy_? Now it's a real surprise for me. But somehow I think asking her about that to confirm the truth is somehow _improper_, so I just keep silent.

"Maybe I got my artistic skill from him—he tended to teach me a lot about drawing." She lets out a small laugh. "But it seemed like he would be happy if he could do something other than drawing, but he couldn't."

I ask her, "Why?"

"He got sick a lot, caused by his weak body. That's why he preferred drawing than anything else, it doesn't take much energy." She says. "I used to take care of him whenever he's sick—and it was almost everytime—and I never get bothered by it. I feel like it had become my responsibility to take care of him."

Never, I never think about it before. She holds so many responsibilities in her life and she still can living on. To be honest, I might not be able to be like her.

"Then, may I see the inside?" I ask, referring to the sketch book.

"Sure, just open it."

I open the book, looking at the pages. I stop flipping to stare at the picture a lot to take a better look of it. It's just simply amazing, the pictures Miku's friend had drawn… I sit here speechless, not knowing what word should I use to express my opinion for the drawings.

"But about him." She suddenly says, breaking the silent moment. "Fate says differently. He…"

She trailed off, enough suspense for me to break my gaze off from the book and directs it to Miku.

She stares blankly at the book with tears trickling down her cheeks.

* * *

><p>~~<em>Anyone<em>, point out the mistakes, please!


	6. Chapter 6

~~Which one's better: a story which gets a lot of criticism (not the constructive ones) or a story with no review?

Anyone's reading the story? Raise your hand! Also thank you (again) for Halios Mililios-san for reviewing! (Review reply: You read the bottom author note! Nice! But really? English is not my language and I'm not good at it...)

My story is always too easy to guess... But enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 6<p>

* * *

><p>"M-Miku-chan?" I ask, surprised with the fact that she's crying. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"<p>

Without saying anything, she wipes her flowing tears using her palms. "I'm… Okay." She says silently. "But you already saw me crying anyway. Guess I can run away from you no more."

At that time, I am sure that it was not the loss of her parents, it was her friend who made her becomes like this.

"Then I have to tell you what happened to him." She says with a sad smile.

I widen my eyes. Is she seriously wants to tell me about what made her makes a distance with most of the human beings?

I have gained her trust to me.

Then, I have to be responsible for what she's going to tell. To keep it, to tell it to everyone, or to forget it.

"An accident… Happened when we visited my old house." She begins. "The place where I live, when I was still with my parents. When they passed away, I moved here with him." She inhales a deep breath. "We had been friends since we were in kindergarten, and became close until _that time_. He had a little, cute sister I always loved like my own sister. That's why I want to have a child soon."

She pauses to look at the heavy rain outside the house, "But he too, lost his parents and sister when their house got burned down. Somehow he survived."

"Ah…" I utter.

At this point, I feel really, _really_ glad that I still have my family and is living in a comfortable house.

There are still many more people who are unluckier than me. Maybe I really should be glad of my 'near perfect' life. Though honestly, the most important thing I still have with me _is my life_.

It's good to be living, no matter in what circumstances.

"He then moved here all by himself, since at that time his health was much better… He lived alone until I moved here." She continues. "Then, back to that time when the accident occured. I went to my old house with my friend to retrieve some of my belongings I thought were still there. I never thought that the house would collapse when we were in."

I continue to stare at her face. Currently it is stern, filled with a determination to tell the story until the end, and to keep strong.

I know, we're humans. We can't act strong anytime—because that's what we are, humans. _Mere_ humans. No human can stay 'strong' until the end of their life, they must have a point where they have a mental breakdown. Then after that, comfort from the others is needed.

The story goes to that end. That tragical end, I guess. But I don't go saying 'okay, okay, I know what happened next', instead, I wait for her to continue.

"Somehow, I was barely injured—just some minor wounds, but he…" She trails off, more tears flowing down from her turquoise eyes. Then she croaks out for the last time with a whispery voice, "He…"

The story ends, gets replaced by her sobbing voice that actually pierces _my heart_. Why? She sounds really desperate, having to tell her past she probably wishes that it never happens.

I do what I have to do, and I do what I can do. Comfort her.

I go closer to her side, and wrap her in a tight hug. With the now, shortened distance I can hear her sobbing even more clearly.

I continue to hug her, having my eyes closed shut while trying to hold my tears. If I cried too, who would comfort her?

* * *

><p>Despite my tiredness from the previous event, I still manage to have a dream.<p>

A bit surprised knowing that fact, because I went home when it still rained heavily (the umbrella gave no help, I still got soaked), plopped down on the bed straight after getting home, of course, earning a "Going sleep already, Rin?" from my mother because I don't usually sleep that early.

I meet him again in my dream. His first reaction when he sees me is to greet me, "Hello."

"Ah, hello." I reply him. "Nice to see you again… Len."

He stares at me for a moment before speaking, "I thought you didn't manage to know my name, you were waking up from your dream fast at that moment, Rin-ch—_Rin_." He says with a confused look on his face. "Never get used calling a girl without suffix, sorry."

"It's okay, people make mistakes anyway." I say lightly. Then I stare down at the well-polished floor.

Still can't stop thinking of Miku.

"What's wrong?" He asks with that concern in his kind, nice sounding voice. I never notice it before that his voice is nice to hear.

"Nothing, I have something in mind, that's all." I offer him a smile. "About my friend. I just found it lately that what made her become very unsocial was… She had lost her parents, then her best friend."

"Afraid of losing?"

I raise an eyebrow and eye him, "…what?"

"Probably she keeps herself away from the others so she won't get too attached to anyone." He says with a serious tone. "Then she wouldn't feel hurt at all if someone gone from her life. It's a fear."

"Oh…" I say. "You seem to know a lot about this thing. May I ask why?"

"Simply use your mind." He says. "Would you feel sad when someone you don't know dies?"

"No." I reply, a bit hesitating to give that answer.

"That's why I know." He says. "And I've lost my family as well."

I widen my eyes at him, "…you have?"

"I have." He says calmly. "If you ask me, of course I don't want that to happen. Of course in our life we will see many births of pure babies, but we too, will have to see someone dies."

"It's a circulation and no one can stop it." He continues. "But it's up to us to decide what we're going to do after we born, and before we die. All depends to us."

"Besides, it's not like I'm all alone after my family's death."

Right after he said that, an echoing sound of metal-clattering silenced us. Both of us turn our heads to the source of the sound immediately.

Indeed, it's a sound of metal _chains_ falling to the floor. Though we still can't see where the chains connect to, but it's enough for us to see something else.

The other end is no more attached to his left hand.


	7. Chapter 7

~~I was trying to finish the next chapter (like, the twelfth chapter) before posting this up. I'll update daily for the next five chapter or more.

Thank you for reading, and please enjoy the seventh chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter 7<p>

* * *

><p>Looking at the chain on the ground, he lets out a small gasp, "What…?" After that, the chain disappears, leaving only 3 others that still chain him.<p>

"One chain disappears…" I say with a small voice. "Could it be…" I trail off.

"Do you think I can get out if every chain is unattached?" He asks.

I look at him straight in the eyes with a look of enthusiasm, "Exactly! I don't know how, but if we can release them all—_somehow_—you can get out from here, I think."

He stares at me for a moment before speaking, "Why do you sound very excited about this?" He asks. "You said you don't trust me, but why you're so happy about me getting out from here when it has nothing to do with you?"

"I started to believe in you since that time you agreed to be my friend and tell your name, Len." I say truthfully. "And… It is my wish, to be able to 'free' you from this dream. You said you won't be alone, but here, you're alone…"

"If I can be free, why can't you? I think it's unfair if I just leave you here." I say. "Don't you feel lonely?"

He widens his eyes before falling to his knees from his standing position. I quickly run to his side, worried that something happens to him.

But then, he hugs me.

When I find myself blushing from the sudden action, I can hear him whispering into my ears with a slight sob.

"Thank you… Rin."

I don't wait anymore before hugging him back, "You're welcome, Len."

* * *

><p>The teacher's standing in front of the class, and yet, I am yawning.<p>

Really not good.

I get some glances from Miku, and I just glance at her back, expressing 'nothing, I just yawned' from my glance.

"Thank you for all of you for finishing the project. Everything is well done, I'm satisfied with your works." The teacher in front of the class says. "But of course, there's the best from all of them, and that goes to Kagamine Rin and Hatsune Miku's work!"

Then people in the class start clapping. I look at Miku at the other side of the class, smiling while clapping at her. "Nice job!" I mouthed.

"And of course, I will give them an award!" The teacher says, _too_ enthusiastically. "Some money."

Cheers fill the room once again. More clapping, accompanied with some whistles can be heard.

After that, still with a smile on his face, the teacher continues, "Make sure you go with your classmate, eating together sounds great, doesn't it?"

We both know it, the award is not for us entirely. It's an award for the whole class. Why bother making up a scene like that?

* * *

><p>"At least everyone is happy." I mutter as I take a bite on my pizza.<p>

Italian restaurant, why not?

"Sure it is." Miku adds. "The teacher actually gives all of us a reward."

I look at Miku, then I turn my gaze at the large group of the whole class. They are chatting happily and when something is funny, everyone laughs. Together.

"But the best award is not the food, I think." I say. "It's the moment to be together with your classmates. Not everytime could be like this."

Miku doesn't say anything. She looks at the classmates with a blank look.

"Sometimes I don't understand your way of thinking." She says with no expression, but after that, she gives me a smile, "But maybe… That's why I like you, Rin-chan."

Before I can give her a reply, one of the classmate calls to us, "Rin-chan! Why don't you join us here? And Miku-chan as well!"

"Eh, what…?" Miku asks with a small voice, but after that I pull her by wrist to the classmates.

"Let's go there and have fun together with the classmates, Miku-chan!" I say enthusiastically.

If it is really a fear of losing like what Len said, I know there's a way to cure it.

Make a lot of friend, so if you lose one there are the others who will comfort you—and that doesn't meant that the lost friend gets forgotten.

But always there in the heart of the others.


	8. Chapter 8

~~Thank you everyone for reading and putting this into favorite (...what does that mean? Sorry if my English is bad, I'm not good at it)! And double thank you for Halios Mililios-san for reviewing!

Let's just start the eight chapter...

* * *

><p>Chapter 8<p>

* * *

><p>I once again, standing in front of the room of doors like a clueless person not knowing where to go.<p>

Seeing the scenery, I remember the first time meeting him. At that time he asked me about which door I was going to open…

"Ah, Rin. We meet again." Someone says from behind, making me turn immediately to see who is there. Though actually it's not needed, I know who's going to be here.

With a smile, I say, "Len! Good evening!"

He smiles and sighs, "Is it evening now? You really never sleep in the afternoon? Even at the school when the teacher is explaining?"

"Never, I think…" I said in a wondering tone. "How about you?"

"Prefer drawing." He says. "Though I need to pay attention to the teacher."

"Ahaha, you're right. The exams will be horrible if we don't." I say and laugh.

So he went to the school after all. Someone friendly as him must have many friends in the school, right? But if he keeps on sleeping, then…

What about his friends? Don't they feel worried?

"Rin, why don't we go to that other room rather than talking here?" He asks, not really interrupting my thought, though.

"Sure, of course." I answer silently. Right after I say that, the scene changes in front of my eyes.

"Fuwaaah~" He says as he plops down to the comfortable chair happily.

I blink seeing his action and the 'fuwaaah' he said. "…what did you say?"

"Fuwaaah." He answers with no expression. "I just want to say that for once."

I give him a weird look, "Bored, aren't you?"

"I practically have nothing to do, and no one to speak, of course I'm bored." He says with a heavy sigh.

"Well, if you say so… Would you mind to listen to me? I'm going to tell my progress in making a change in my friend." I say, and without waiting for an answer I continue, "Okay then. She turned out to be a social person who gets along with people easily."

"Like that?" Without questioning me at all, he comments.

"Like that." I say. "Maybe she has gotten over with the death of her friend… We really shouldn't look back at the past, right?"

"You right and that's great, anyway. You should be credited for it."

"Though I didn't do anything?" I ask, trying to recall anything important I had done to her.

I think I just befriended her, and nothing else. Is that a thing that changes her?

"You became her friend, then she opened up for you, you do something, Rin." He says. "Do you think she would change back if you didn't befriend her in the first place? Because I don't think so."

I'm still a bit unsure about this, though. I was just trying to make her happy…

"Exactly, you want to make her happy right?" He says, snapping me out from my thought and successfully freaks me out.

"Are you a mind reader or what?" I snap, pulling myself 'away' from him.

He just smiles innocently, "No. I'm not, Rin." Maybe it just my opinion, but that innocent look is unusual… "And you haven't answered yet."

"O-oh well…" My answer comes out with a slight stutter. "Maybe I do want her to be happy. Or maybe it's just me? I love seeing people smile, laugh. It reflects happiness, you know."

Still with the previous smile, he continues to stare at me with a far-away look before he asks, "Do you love her?"

"Excuse me?" That answer comes out automatically from my mouth as soon as the words get registered in my brain. "I'm sure she's a girl, I won't love her in_ that_ way. Why do you even ask something like that?"

"Just curious." He says and starts to look around the room—he probably has done that for like 1000 times before. "I just wondering… People might describe 'love' differently, that's why I get confused."

I stretch my arms forth, "Why?"

"My best friend, I always love it seeing her smile, hearing her voice, seeing her face. Then her way of speaking to the others—how she gets along easily, her cooking, her kindness, her way of being happy… I don't think it counts as 'love', though." He explains.

And I only sit there, not saying anything.

"Sorry for bothering you with those things, Rin." He adds after he saw my face. "Then, do you have someone you love now?"

Love?

The feeling of wanting everything from one person? That feeling of selfishness and self-satisfactory? Or the feeling of not wanting to let that person go?

Falling in love sounds like a crazy idea for me. It doesn't really matter for now, though.

But I feel something is being crushed inside me.


	9. Chapter 9

~~It's like trying to reach a far-away dream.

Thank you! And enjoy the next chapter~

* * *

><p>Chapter 9<p>

* * *

><p>Drawing a picture in a canvas inside my head with an imaginary brush, I can't stop thinking.<p>

I can't stop thinking how that person looked like. That person Len mentioned.

I don't even have the slightest idea about how I end up thinking about that again and again, but here I am. I can't help it. I'm curious. Someone who gets loved by that nice kind of person must be a real perfect. He said he loves seeing her, hearing her, _everything from her_, practically.

I think the way he said 'It doesn't count as love' is a mere denial from the truth that_ he loves her_. That's the reason why I'm trying to get a picture of that so-perfect-so-lucky person, just curious.

And when I'm actually being pathetic, denying the fact that I'm…

Jealous.

Why should I get jealous? I really have no reason for that. Except if it's true that I start to like him _more_ than before.

What have I gotten into…? Falling in love isn't my planning at all. If I can choose, I'd rather stay this way, not having that feeling called 'love'. It sound complicated.

Sometimes, it's seen on the news—people committed suicide _only_ because of love. Is it true people couldn't live without someone she or he loves? Isn't there someone else to be loved?

That's why, complicated. It's better to be free, not tied with the 'love' word.

But it doesn't always get interpreted like that, right? What about that love a mother gives to her child? And human's life is also made by love.

And finally, I get that conclusion that I won't understand 'love' better if I keep on thinking inside my head, not asking somebody else or doing some observation (like, observing people dating? But then they'll think I'm a creeper, right?). I think it's better if I ask someone's opinion about this, and the first person that comes into my mind is Miku.

* * *

><p>Finally, a break from the tiring school day and what's good is; the next day is still Sunday. And even better if the weather reflects that joy.<p>

Sunny Saturday is a great day. Today Miku let me to go to her house, seems like she's feeling good. Mentally, I mean.

Since that time when the whole class had dinner together in the restaurant, Miku starts to open herself to people more. And the best thing is, she smiles more often, and it's not a sad smile. A real, pure smile from her heart.

I'm happy to see that, but is that all I can do until now?

"Rin-chan? You've been standing at that spot for a long time, why don't you just take a seat?" Miku snaps me out from my thought by an offering.

I give her a sheepish laugh, "Okay, Miku-chan." I take a seat on the couch in her living room, then resume talking. "How does everything go until now?"

"Everything what?" She asks back while tidying up the messy table. I manage to see something on the table—a plate with spring onions on it. Was she _cooking_ on the table in the _living room_?

"Everything in your life." I answer with a smile, even though she won't see me.

She puts away the things, then comes back and sits next to me, a sketch book is in her hand. "Much better since you started to befriend me, Rin-chan. I… I always by myself before that, avoiding people. Though actually we can't live alone, right? You're the one who make me realize that behind a loss, something better must be there." Putting the book in her lap, she smiles at me and says, "Thank you very much, Rin-chan."

"Uh… I really didn't do anything, Miku-chan." I quickly wave my hands, a 'no-no' motion.

"You do, Rin-chan." She says calmly and picks up the sketch book then grabs a pencil from the table. "You do many things to me, and I'm really glad that you do…"

She opens the book. A picture of a girl playing with an boy (this boy is still unfinished) gets revealed instantly.

"Miku-chan! That picture is good!" I say as soon as my eyes land on the picture.

"I know it is." She says calmly with that nostalgic voice. "He drew it."

I can feel my happy face gets replaced with a look of sympathy. "Oh… But it's still good." I say.

Miku starts to sketch more things on the boy, "And to think that he drew this more than 2 years ago. It was really impressive, indeed. He was always better than me. And now, with this, I'll show him that I can be better than him." She says with a smile of satisfactory on her face.

I smile at her spirit, never see her this enthusiast before.

But hadn't he... Died?

Pushing that thought away, I take a look at Miku again. However, she doesn't look back at me—she's too busied with her work. Then my eyes fall to the book she's drawing on. That drawing…

Contrasting the happy-looking people in the drawing, I just smile sadly looking at it.

* * *

><p>~~I seriously didn't read this before uploading... I get lost...<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

~~I fail miserably in this, I can't update daily...

Well, in case anyone's waiting (uh I'm an optimist, but can't help it, I doubt it), sorry~

Enjoy the next chapter... I'm sleepy...

* * *

><p>Chapter 10<p>

* * *

><p>I really forgot my main purpose of going to Miku's house, right? My mind is too full of things. Miku sure has a lot of mystery and things I never know before.<p>

The real purpose: to ask her opinion of love.

Going straight to the point, I stare back at her and ask bluntly, "Miku-chan… What do you think love is?"

Probably isn't a good idea. She whips her head to give me a surprised look and she pauses her drawing. And all of that happens _too fast_, "What…?" She asks, her face red.

I don't even realize that I have my mouth hung open, getting a reaction I do not expect. "W-what's wrong?"

She quickly looks away from me, "I-I really didn't think you'll ask something l-like that, R-Rin-chan…" She stutters.

I am sure, feeling bad for throwing a question like that to her. From what I can see now, there's no way she would give a straight answer to the question.

Try to think before saying… Is what I say to myself.

Like an 'awkward-moment-breaker', the house bell suddenly rings. Miku quickly runs away to the door, mumbling a "I'll get it." I can barely hear and disappears from the room just like that.

I am left alone in the room, so I decide to look around though at the end, my gaze lands on Miku's sketchbook. She left it open anyway, so I move closer to it and start to flip the pages open.

Everything looks so… Great. And for me, wishing to be able to draw that good is too… Not saying impossible, but it's going to be really hard. I'm not talented in drawing anyway, no need to force myself to do it.

Then suddenly I hear Miku exclaims loudly—it sounds more like a growl, though, "What do you want?"

"M-Miku-chan? What's wrong with you? You've changed…" The other voice says, though I can only hear it faintly.

I dash to the front door, and find Miku glaring at the one who just rang the bell, a boy around our age with blue hair and scarf wrapped around his neck…

And I can see his gaze ends up on me, but he doesn't say a word either to Miku or me.

Miku doesn't give him any reply, so he takes the chance to speak, "We haven't seen each other for a pretty long time, eh?" He tries to chill the raging Miku down by bringing up a light topic.

Somehow Miku's gaze softens, and she looks away, "Y-yeah. Why don't you come in and have a seat… You don't mind my friend being here, right?"

"No, not at all…" He says with a slight laugh, giving that friendly impression.

I slowly walk back to the living room and sit on the couch, then start to stare at nothing in particular. Then Miku and the boy—I suppose he's her friend or something—enter the room shortly after I do.

After everyone is seated, Miku starts the conversation. "So… Kaito-kun, this is my friend, Kagamine Rin."

Instantly, he has that confused and surprised look before getting back to his previous face and says, "Nice to meet you Kagamine-chan! I'm Shion Kaito, Miku-chan's friend from junior high, I guess."

...I guess, he said?

"I mean, Miku-chan 'disappeared' shortly before the graduation. I just find it out lately that you didn't move away…" He explains, the latter part is directed to Miku. "I thought both of you moved away somewhere far since in your message you said he got hospitalized… Actually your house is still here."

Miku gives him a slight glare and answers sternly, "That's right."

He sighs, "But I found it hard to track you, since I don't think my mails reach you—did you change your email address? When I can't call you at all, Miku-chan, it always the mailbox I get directed to when I try to call L—"

Again, Miku quickly looks at his direction and gives him a glare. This time, a harder one. I think that Kaito person gets the meaning of her glare and stops talking in instance.

"Okay okay." He says after that while waving his hands, "How are you?"

"I'm fine!" Miku snaps, a bit louder than before. She seems to be hiding something from him _and me_.

But what? From the way she snapped, it implies that there's something… Wait, her ex-schoolmate? Does that also mean a friend of her friend she often talks about?

Maybe that's why?

"Okay, if you insist so." He says in a weird calm voice, "Then what about him? Since he's not around…"

"Still there." She answers. "The reason… It's not what you think." Miku says. "And what really happened to him is not what you think as well. I thought the left unanswered mails, and missed calls can explain, right?"

He looks at Miku with a look of disbelief, "What do you mean?"

She just smiles—a forced smile, "Maybe if you go to the hospital you can see him. I don't recommend it, though… He… Won't see you anyway."

Me, who have been listening to their whole conversation—I'm not eavesdropping, they're talking when I'm physically visible here—get confused as well with Miku's words that make people think to get the real meaning behind it.

After some awkward minutes engulfed in silence, he stands up, saying that he has to go and leaves the house after Miku lets him.

"And Kaito-kun, I changed my number and address, I'll mail them later." She says at last. "Let's keep in touch again, I'll get over with this."

And I sit still on the couch, not moving even an inch. When Miku comes back after closing the door, the looks at me with an emotionless look.

"And from your look," She suddenly talks, "You probably thought my friend who got into the accident is dead."

Honestly I was, until that awkward talk. I start to think there's another possibility though I don't say anything—I just nod slowly.

"Sorry, maybe my story is a bit unclear." She apologizes. "But to think that I made it sounds like he's dead—maybe because I feel he had died. Though, no, he's still alive."

I really wasn't expecting this until five minutes ago, for real. But she said she feels that he had died…

A fear of losing?

"_Barely_ alive, I mean." She continues with a whisper-like voice. "In a coma."


	11. Chapter 11

~~For anyone who's reading this, sorry. This isn't going to be updated everyday after all since it's (almost) impossible.

Still, just seeing that readers are still there from the so-so view count, thank you.

Just a note: I never got hospitalized, ever. So~ Sorry again with the weirdness of this chapter (and the rest of the story). Lack of experience _does_ affect the story.

* * *

><p>Chapter 11<p>

* * *

><p>Actually I never saw someone in such a state before. So it must be okay for me to widen my eyes and halt in my standing position.<p>

No, it's not because of IVs being inserted here and there. Not because of his skinny body and deadly pale colored skin. Not even because he looked like a dead corpse.

Right, I won't even know that he's alive without that machine that keeps beeping and the fact that he's breathing with the help of the oxygen mask.

But it's the fact that he looks like Len. Very much. His blonde hair, his face… Though I can't see the color of his eyes, of course. They're closed tight.

"Looks like you, doesn't he?" Miku says with that sad smile again. "He could be a male version of you, Rin-chan. You even share the same surname—Kagamine Rin and Kagamine… Len."

This time, I really freeze.

_Len_?

"The accident… Almost took his life. Many blood lost, many skin wounded, some bones were broken. And his head was badly damaged." She said. "Was really critical for real. But somehow he managed to survive—I don't know how, maybe it's a miracle—and stay alive until now, though in that state."

I glance at her, who is giving a symphatetic look at him, "Now, of course, every wound is healed already but," She pauses to inhale deeply, "His eyes remain closed. From that moment until now, he doesn't open his eyes at all."

"How long… Exactly?" I ask hesitantly.

"Almost two years."

I gasp as I put my hands over my mouth. _That long_?

"Now they say, he's getting worse." Miku continues. "The damage of the head—the only one that hasn't healed up yet—starting to give some effect to him. The biggest possibility—not to mention the worst scenario—is, he's going to stay that way until… Until he gives up on making his heart beating."

Both of us fall into a silence. Directing my gaze to Miku, actually she's still having that sad smile on her face. And those eyes, tears can fall at anytime.

"Kagamine Len… Isn't it?" I ask with a small voice.

At first, she looks at me without saying anything. But then she speaks, "That's right. Why are you asking… Do you know him? Just… Maybe you're his relative or something?"

"No, nothing." I say with a little smile on my face.

* * *

><p>"Rin? What's wrong? You don't seem to be happy and cheery like usual today."<p>

"…yeah?" I say, looking up from the floor I found interesting to stare at to Len who is looking at me with concern.

"What yeah? I'm asking."

"It's just… _Things_ are making me depressed." I let out a heavy sigh from my mouth. "You know, accident, hospital, and death? And the people who are left behind. First, accident—something you can not forget easily, even the minor ones. Accident is accident, no matter what."

Since I get no word at all from him, I continue my explanation. "Second, hospital—indirect place between life and death. Many lives depend to it. You cvan even smell it, medicines inside the whole building. Never like it."

"Who would actually like being in the hospital, anyway…?" He comments as he looks blankly at the empty shelf in front of him.

I stare at him for a while before continuing, "Third, death—when you're no longer belong to this world, no longer doing everything easily."

"And the fourth one." I say. "The people who are left behind. If the one who dies is someone important, people will mourn over."

"I know that." He says shortly.

I stare at him after that, and that's before I look away and mutter under my breath, "...selfish."

"Excuse me?" He asks with an annoyed voice.

"It's nothing… Len." I say. "Anyway, is your last name Kagamine?"

I can feel his gaze fell on me. I look at his direction, and meet his surprised and confused face. "Last name… Doesn't matter, isn't it?"

"Just answer me." I demand.

"Kagamine… Yes, it's Kagamine but why are you asking and from where did you know it?"

Again, I cast my gaze down to the floor.

So it's really him, Miku's friend who lived with her. He also said that he lived with his friend, right? And it's a she. And he loves her.

Len loves Miku. That girl is Miku—his friend who was having a good social life.

But she changed because of him, changed drastically. Does she love him back? And the thought of losing him changes her.

It must be hurt to lose someone you love.

"From my friend and I kind of… Ah, forget it." I almost say the whole thing to him.

I can't actually say that I'm Miku's friend, who tried to make her happy. And I can't actually say that's he's in coma—it'll be awkward.

"Rin, how? Do you know me by any chance?" He asks. "Know… Me in the real world, I mean."

With a sad smile, I answer him, "I do."

Right after that, I feel myself waking up from the dream, but I managed to see it.

Another chain gets unattached from his wrist.

I stare in disbelief at the chain on the ground, and his surprised face. And instantly I find myself in my room again.

"Aa~ Dream, why you always end at the climax…" I mutter to myself and rub my eyes to get a clear view of everything.

Then I smile at the morning. "Morning, everyone."

* * *

><p>I take his hand into mine, lifting it up and interwine it.<p>

He doesn't lock his hand with mine. Right when I release my grip, his had just falls limply to the bed.

"Sorry, Len…" I say monotonously.

Looking at his peaceful sleeping face, I can't help but smile. Then my hand reaches out to him, and starts to give a light pat on his head.

He doesn't react to my touch. Of course, I'm not expecting him to give a reaction at all.

"Open your eyes, please." I say slowly as I stare at his face.

No, those eyes remain closed. He doesn't react to my voice as well…

At last, with a smile, I say, "Because one more chain is unattached, you'll wake up soon right, Len?"

* * *

><p>~~That last part creeps me out, honestly. Because I imagine that Rin was talking to a lifeless corpse of Len. It's not supposed to be like that... orz<p> 


	12. Chapter 12

~~This is the twelfth chapter! So, I won't update until I finish the eighteenth chapter (and I'm still working on the sixteenth! Waa—!).

2 reviews... That meant a lot for me, thank you very much!

So, for Razorheart-san: Thank you very much for reviewing! Haven't gotten that kind of review for a long time T^T I'll try by best to fix it! (And I just realize it! So sorry! Actually, I typed this whole thing with my phone, so it doesn't look that... _Weird_. Still, it's my fault anyway, sorry...)

And Kaiki2012-san, thank you for reviewing (and reading)!

The one who only reads still get a 'thank you' from me no matter what.

* * *

><p>Chapter 12<p>

* * *

><p>Although the sun is peeking through the thick cloud of winter, I will say that today's weather is nice.<p>

It's not snowing, but the cloud says, "It will, in the evening." The path I'm walking on is clear from snow, the only part with snow on it is the both side of the road.

As I'm walking, some classmates pass by (maybe it's my walking pace that is slow… I just want to enjoy the moment), saying 'hi' and then wave at me.

"Ah, morning!" I answer when a girl (and she's taller than me… I don't really like the fact that I'm not as tall as the others) with long, wavy pink hair with a hairband greets me. If I'm not mistaken, her name is Luka… A student who was just transferred about 6 months ago. She's from the next class.

"The cloud is thick, isn't it? It might snow tonight." She says.

"Right." I reply. "I have to get home quickly, then. Luckily I've bought a box of oranges for tonight, I won't be able to go to the convenience store." I let out a small laugh after that.

"I-I've bought a box of canned tuna as well!" She says excitedly like a kid, which I don't really expect and causes me to jump a bit because of the sudden transition from her soft voice to a louder one. "Though actually I prefer raw tuna, then cook it into something rather than the canned one. Still… It's still better than nothing!"

Then I blink with a smile on my face. Actually the mature like (if compared to me, she's more mature—both personally and physically) Megurine Luka also gets excited of something she likes.

It's amusing to see something you don't usually see.

When she finally looks at my face and notices my smile, she quickly takes one step back and covers her mouth with her hands. "Sorry, I got over excited." She says, a bit muffled.

"Na~ It's okay. It's normal for people to get excited for something they like. Sometimes I also blab about oranges…" I say.

After I say that, she glances at her wristwatch. A look of panic then appears on her face after that. "Oh, sorry Rin-chan, I have to go for morning duty today and I'm probably late already." She says, not as calm as usual, but she still maintains the calmness in her voice. "See you later, Rin-chan."

"Okay, see you later as well, Luka-chan!" I say, seeing her walk faster ahead me and she waves at me. I wave at her before she finally turns away and start running to the school.

About morning duty, Miku is doing one today, so she's probably at school already.

But now Miku starts to get along with people more. Of course I'm happy with that but something is just different… It's not like the old times.

I continue my walking and fasten its pace as I let out a sigh. I can't be selfish like that—Miku's happy, right? All for her happiness…

Before I even notice it, I'm standing at the school gate already. I can see more people walking into the school—guess people are being early for today. Maybe it's the weather.

I enter the school calmly, planning to go straight to the class. But then I remember about Miku—I should talk to her and ask about how she's feeling right now. Her friend coming over yesterday and she shouted at him.

Means that she didn't want to talk about Len at all. But why she asked me to go to the hospital with her when she actually didn't want to talk about it? And that guilt inside of me has just come. Maybe to say sorry…

Relying on my memory, Miku should be in the gym since the duty is there. So I make my way to the gym.

And right before I can even see the gym, I see some shadows behind the tree. Curious, I stop walking and start to listen to the conversation.

"Actually…" A pause. "I've been starting to have this feeling towards you, and I want you to know…" Another pause. "So, will you go out with me?"

Is that love confession?

Then there's this tension in the air—I can feel the person he confessed to is **not** feeling the same way about this. The girl answers, "…thank you but… No, I don't think I will."

But isn't that Miku's voice? And a boy's confessing to her? What a great move!

She continues, "Besides, I have someone I love, so…"

With a slight disappointment in his voice, the boy says, "Nah, that's okay. I've guessed that you have someone you love… And I think I should go, the bell's gonna ring anytime soon."

And that means he would discover me eavesdropping on their personal talk if he leaves soon?

My legs just take me away from the scene by running away as fast as it could. I enter the school building. Still running, they take me to the locker. I retrieve my indoor shoes and hurriedly put my shoes inside. Then I slam the locker close and wear the indoor shoes carelessly before running right to the class in the second floor.

I slide the door open harshly, making eyes go to my direction.

"Rin-chan, where have you been and why… Are you panting like that?" A random classmate asks.

Waving my hand tiredly, I walk to my desk, "Nothing…"

* * *

><p>I watch the snow falling heavily from the sky like no end.<p>

So I was right about that, the snow will come later at night.

I peel the orange in my hand carefully—trying to not squeezing the fruit itself—while looking outside through the window.

"Rin, don't you have something more… Productive to do rather than looking out to the window?" Suddenly I hear someone talking to me. Turning my head to the person, it's my mother who's still wearing her blazer—guess she has just arrived home.

"Oh, welcome home, mother." I say with a slight surprised voice. "How did you manage to get home in the snow?"

"I have my own ways, Rin." She says with a smile. "Now I'm here, shall we eat some stew?"

My eyes lit up as she mentions the food. "Of course!"

* * *

><p>I think I've been in this place before. Light colored wall, shining floor…<p>

Endless hallway. Then this feeling of panic comes into me. I look back, hoping there's some kind of door or something behind me but unluckily, there's nothing but endless hallway.

I want to examine the hallway more, but my legs keep on running—I don't have the slightest idea of why am I running, but I just do. Running until the hallway finally ends.

And a door is ahead. Strangely, I open the door without thinking any further about the risk. Then I see more doors.

The room of doors, I know I've been here before. But something is strangely different about this place…

Just then, I catch a glimpse of person running across the room in a speed I can't reach.

My mouth opens and calls, "Wait!"

The person stops. Now I can see the person's figure better—a girl with long pink hair wearing a simple white dress. Her eyes stare right at me.

We just stand in that position until I realize that it was just a dream. A dream I probably had seen before—a bit different, though.

She mouthed something I can't manage to catch and just disappears right away after that, though she left something on the floor. I move closer to the piece of paper and read it. 'Get out from here.' It says. But then, I (unknowingly) put the piece of paper into my pocket and open the nearest door in that place, following the instruction—to get out from that place.

A surprised face of someone I know greets me behind the door.

"Rin? Why are you coming from that door…?"


	13. Chapter 13

~~I haven't uploaded anything for a week, sorry... I just finished the eighteenth chapter! Actually I want to upload last Friday, 3/9, the Miku Day, the 'thank you' day, but ended up not uploading anything because it's impossible!

Thank you for everyone, especially ChibiLove-san... 2 reviews mean a lot for me! Thank you very much~

(Oh, for ChibiLove-san: It's alright, of course! And, the author _does_ care about the errors T^T Nah, it's fine. And thank you for the support!)

Now onto the thirteenth chapter...

* * *

><p>Chapter 13<p>

* * *

><p>"No… What do you mean?" I ask. Obviously I have that confused look on my face. "What door?"<p>

Mirroring the look on my face, he puts on a confused face. "Rin, you know where we are now, right?"

"Of course I do…" I say as my eyes wander around the room, looking around. "The room of doors."

Then he gives me a weird look. "Exactly…. And what do you mean by 'what do you mean' earlier? You just… Came out from one of the doors. It's… Is that even possible?"

After he said that, I look back and see the doors. And I am now facing at the doors.

"Wait, what… Why did I come out from that door?" I ask upon realization.

"…that's what I was asking about." He says with a 'you-just-got-what-I-mean?' look.

"But let's say, Len…" I start as I walk closer to him. "I saw something weird in there."

"A plotted dream?" He asks.

"It seems to be a… Plotted dream." I say. "Let's say I was running down a hallway, then I saw many doors, and a… Person."

He doesn't seem to understand my explanation, "And…?"

"And I don't really remember the rest of it…" I say truthfully. "But my feeling is… That person ordered me to get out and somehow I found myself here."

"And the person was…?"

I look at him for a while, before starting to dig information inside my head. I'm sure I saw someone there, but… I think I've seen that person before.

"No, I have no idea who it was." Is my answer. "But I've seen that person before."

"Someone from the real world?" He asks.

"Of course, I never see anyone else but you in this place. And the way you put it sounds like you don't belong to the world of reality." I say. "You're still alive."

He laughs lightly, "Being here for a long time makes me forget." He says, joking around. "Anyway, how's the reality?"

"Reality as in the real world outside the dream?" I ask and he nods. "Winter has started. Before I went to sleep tonight, it's snowing heavily. It's starting to get colder~"

After that, I find something being circled around my neck. "So, here." He suddenly says as he puts his scarf around my neck.

Despite getting more warmth from the scarf, I feel my face heats up. "Wha… No… I'm not _that_ cold, actually. It's pretty warm in my room."

"But you said it's getting colder." He says as a matter of fact.

"No, not me but more importantly… Are you okay without your scarf? I mean… Aren't you feeling cold as well."

"It's not like I have the idea of where the scarf came from." He says with a huge grin. "And I'm warm already."

"Oh, that's right… She's always there by your side, eh…?"

He looks up and face me, "What?"

"No, nothing. Let's just talk about… Finding a way to get you out from here." I say, quickly change the topic because I accidentally blurted that out from my mouth.

But of course, it's not actually an accident—it's something that's being said my mind. Or my heart—I don't know the difference, I think we're using our mind to think…

He looks displeased with the sudden change of topic—or maybe, with me trying to hide something from him—but then he says, "…okay."

And he pulls the chain on one of his leg with his both free hand hardly. He's trying to break it free, I think.

So I have to help.

"Here, Len! Let me help you with this!" I say loudly as I grab the chain and jerk it violently. But no avail, everything stays the same.

"Rin?" He calls me. "I don't think this is the right method to break it off…"

"I'm thinking about the same thing, Len." I say. "Pulling it is no use _at all_, but the two previous chains got unattached just like that—we didn't even do anything to it. And if we pull it, seems like it's chained tightly at the other end." And I pull the chain again.

"Sure, but…" He says. "How can I walk around if it's chained that tight? I think it's only getting tight whenever we try to pull it."

I blink several times, processing the 'weird' fact in my head. "You're right."

"Then how?" He asks. "There must be something that can break it off."

"Or maybe it's getting unattached randomly?"

"I don't think so…" He says. "There must be something that causes it to break. Perhaps something from the reality?"

"Reality?" I ask him. "What can happen in the reality to you? You keep on sleeping, Len…"

"I mean, not me. But you, Rin."

Though he's the one who gets chained here? Ignoring that fact, I start to gather information from my memories.

The first one, when Miku told me about her past, the 'loss' of her friend. At night, in the dream, the chain got broken.

The second one, when Miku told me about her friend—_again_—and later it was revealed that he's not dead, but in coma. And that her friend is Len.

…things concerning him and Miku?

"I don't think so, it's more to…" I really was going to tell him that it's more about him and Miku, but… Saying that I know Miku, I know him, I know he's Miku's friend and I'm Miku's friend _as well_ is just awkward. "I mean, I'm nothing to you, of course it's not about me, but you."

"Though I keep on sleeping?"

I give him a cold stare. "Don't you think about the others who are concerned about you? Especially that friend of yours—do you think she would keep on living normally when she knows you don't wake up?"

Looking at me with a slightly widened eyes for a split second, then he looks down to the floor. "I know that, but I can't really do anything to wake myself up. Or to break these chains." He says calmly. "But since I saw you here, Rin, chains are getting broken. That's why… I think you're the one who—"

* * *

><p>Leaving the dream from the previous night unfinished, just like a cliffhanger in a story, I continue to face my life in the next day.<p>

Weather is getting strangely clearer today, snow is still piling everywhere, though. But it's good enough for people to do their usual routine of working and studying, or playing.

Of course, me being a student, have to face the usual routine of going to the school to study things.

"Rin-chan, I want to tell you something…" Comes a soft voice from my side.

I look up from the textbook I am reading at the moment and face Miku who is looking at me with a shy face.

"Of course… What is it, Miku-chan?" I ask her.

Then she moves closer to me. "That… Actually yesterday, a boy confessed to me."

I only nod at the beginning of the story. I have seen the actual scene by my own eyes after all.

"And your answer?" I ask.

"Of course, I won't go out with him… I barely know him after all…" She says. "And I have no idea why he confessed to me."

"Ah, probably that." I say, "We're highschoolers, it'd be weird if we haven't dated anyone before."

"Eh, you have?" She asks with a face full of curiosity.

"Actually, no." I say as I directed my gaze to somewhere else. "I never want to be involved in a romantic relationship—don't you think we'll be able to enjoy life, see the whole world when you see everyone as your friend?"

She bites her lip, "At first, I thought like that. Befriend many people, enjoying the life. But… Someone changes it. That person… Makes me understand what love is. Loving someone is not something I can enjoy full-heartedly but sometimes, it feels nice."

"You mean, you declined his offer because you love someone else?" I ask.

Then she blushes hearing my question. With her head lowered, she says, "R-right, like that."

"And is it… Len?"

She then backs away from me, her chair being pulled along with her. Then she waves her hand frantically, "No, of course no! What makes you think li—" She stops talking suddenly, and she puts down her hands as well. Then she looks away with a look of disappointment and sighs. "I mean, yes." She says softly.

I look at her for a short moment, and then look away to the window. "O-oh, I see…"

"And talking about him…" She says (still softly), and I face her after she said that. "Will you go with me after school to visit him?"

Thinking it is okay to go with her, I reply, "Of course I will…"


	14. Chapter 14

~~I just didn't expect getting 3 reviews... Thank you.

And thank you, for everything.

Emanon-san: Emanon-san~ Thank you for the review!

Halios Mililios-san: I will not discontinue this, I'll try my best to write until the end. And thank you!

luthor112-san: Really? Knowing that makes me happy, thank you!

I have no idea why I add the -san suffix to the reviewers/authors... Maybe to show respect that can't be expressed in English? Or actually there's a way to express it? My English is... Okay, onto the next, short chapter.

* * *

><p>Chapter 14<p>

* * *

><p>"Miku-chan, I haven't seen you for a while. How are you?"<p>

That voice that follows the sound of the door being opened makes us turn our heads to the source of the voice.

A brunette nurse with matching dark brown eyes is standing in front of the door.

"I'm fine…" Miku answers silently, her eyes are staring at something distant. "What about you, Meiko-san?"

"I just thought about this, Miku-chan." Meiko replies with a huge grin on her face, meanwhile her right hand taps Miku's shoulder pretty hard and makes her jump from the sudden slight pain. "You calling me Meiko-san make me feel really old. I'm not even 30!"

Miku looks at Meiko with her eyes slightly widened, "…then, how should I call you?"

"Hmm…" Meiko makes a thinking pose by looking at the white ceiling above and holds her chin. "I know calling me 'Meiko' would be awkward for you, so how about 'Meiko-nee'?"

"Eh, that should be… Fine."

"That's it, young girl!" Again, Meiko taps Miku. This time it's far harder—I know it from how Miku yelps pretty loudly and she quickly covers her mouth.

With her mouth still covered with her hand, she glances worriedly at Len, who is actually just stays that way on the bed—her yelp does nothing to him.

I don't know how to feel if I was in her place—whether to be glad or not. A complicated situation.

"Are you wondering about it, Miku-chan?" Meiko asks. "When he will open his eyes."

Miku looks down to the floor—to Meiko's feet to be more exact—with her mouth slightly opened, then she speaks, "Do you have any idea about that?"

"Honestly, I don't." Meiko says with a sympathetic smile. "And as time passes, it's starting to get useless to do the check-ups when there's no significant good progress."

No, she doesn't wait for Miku's reaction to continue. "But, hey, even though it's like that, we're trying our best here, Miku-chan. All of us are waiting, just like you."

"Yeah, I know that." Miku says. Then she surprisingly, smiles. "I still have the strength to wait until he wakes, because I have someone on my side now."

Miku turns her head to me, her long hair swished behind. "This is Kagamine Rin, my friend." She introduces me to her suddenly, making me turn my gaze to her.

Then my blue orbs meet Meiko's brown ones.

There's no need to introduce each other, actually. Meiko and I know each other already.

I've seen her several times before—she usually checks on Len whenever I come here, that's why.

She is a nice person—I always enjoy hearing her talking voice that sounds friendly to anyone. And she _is_ friendly, also has a good sense of humor—she always joke in right time.

And she's a reliable person. Because I see her pretty often, she knows me well already. We eventually became more than acquaintances.

She knows that I'm technically, no one to Len. Yet, she said.

"You must know him, somehow. If you don't, why do you even bother to come here to see him that often?"

"But it will be awkward if, for example, Miku, knows that I visit a friend of her I don't even know before," was my reply.

"It's easy, then. I won't tell her you come here often—let's just act like we don't know each other, Rin-chan."

Maybe finally it's the time for the act to be played.

I look at Meiko, then give her an assuring smile. I think she gets what I meant by that, because she says, "Nice to meet you then, Kagamine Rin-chan. And I'm Sakine Meiko. Just like Miku-chan, just simply call me Meiko-nee, okay?"

It comes out just like what has been planned before—except the Meiko-nee part, this is my first time she asks me to call her 'Meiko-nee'. Usually I just call her Meiko-san (no, not Sakine-san. Somehow she never like being called by her surname) and she's alright with that.

I nod as approval, "Of course, Meiko-nee."

"Nah, that's good." She says. "Then, a brief introduction about myself. As you can see by yourself, I'm a nurse here… And I'm here to do the usual check-up for our patient here."

Glancing at Len, I say, "…right."

And that is the end of the 'brief introduction'—she somehow stops talking after that. "Oh, sorry for all of that." She says with a grin as she waves her hand, "I better start checking, then."

"Actually, it's fine, Meiko-sa—I mean Meiko-nee." Miku says. "We're enjoying this moment to talk with you, after all."

"Hey, it's not about me or the two of you, it's about him." Meiko says as she walks closer to the bed. Then, with a serious face, she sends a glare to the monitor.

And her face changes after that. She just stands there, just staring at the monitor—she doesn't even start to write on the notes, they are left just like that.

This time, Miku asks out of concern, "Meiko-nee, what's wrong?"


	15. Chapter 15

~~This chapter's almost 2,000 words long... In Word. This site says it's 1,925 words... Ha!

...if you get what I mean... Okay, ignore that.

Thank you for everyone who still reads this story! And oh, more reviews~ Thank you very much! Replies are at the bottom, somehow it's better if you read the chapter first, because...

* * *

><p>Chapter 15<p>

* * *

><p>For a moment, I think, sometimes the weather understands our feeling. Or maybe it's human who affects the weather.<p>

Today, I woke up from my dreamless sleep by the unusual ringing of my phone. I say it was unusual because _almost_ no one sends a mail that early.

"Rin-chan, I don't think I'll be going to the school today. I have things to take care of, just tell the teacher that I'm absent today." Was what Miku sent to me in an early 5.30 am when my alarm is supposed to ring at 6.30 am.

Yes, I end up waking up an hour earlier. I decided not to go back to sleep—it would be hard to wake up on time if I do—but I start to think, an hour does affect me.

I am already yawning on the way to the school, under the dark, thick clouds hanging on the sky. And like usual, I'm thinking on the way, even in this sleepy state.

I think Miku decides to skip one precious day of school to watch over Len. He's seriously not getting better, it's the other way around.

"_…I don't think he's waking up sooner._" Said the nurse.

Miku just doesn't know it, she's not the only one who gets worried about that. And the fact that I didn't meet him in the dream last night just worsens the situation.

What if something really bad is happening with him?

I shake my head. Deciding to forget that problem for a while, I continue to walk to the school, thinking about the task I might forget—though no, I'm not a forgetful person. But unluckily, due to my wandering-away mind, I accidentally collide with someone.

And with that person being taller than me, of course I'm the one who end up sitting on the asphalt.

"Ah, sorry. I wasn't paying attention…" The person says, and it sounds like a girl's voice.

I shake my head, "Actually, I think it's my fault for walking carelessly." Then I look up from my sitting position.

And see Megurine Luka standing in front of me. She's wearing the usual school uniform (because we're not allowed to wear anything else), her left hand is full of books... And a brown paper bag? And she has an apologetic look on her face.

"Here, let me help you," She offers help by extending her right hand, causing the taiyaki she was holding before hangs on her mouth.

I grab her hand and stand up. "Thanks."

"Now, let's walk to the school together." She says and starts walking right away without waiting for my answer.

"Ah, okay." I say as I start walking, trying to catch up with her. But then she turns around, almost making me hit her again.

"Actually I was walking back because I think I lost my keychain around here and thinking of searching for it." She says while looking up to the cloudy sky. "Actually if you want to go ahead, it's okay, Rin-chan. I'm going to find if first—school starts in half an hour anyway…"

"No, actually I can help you." I say with a warm smile. "Now, can you tell me how the keychain looks?"

"Really? That would be nice to have someone else helping me, thank you very much, Rin-chan." She says happily. "Ah, and the keychain… It's a tuna shaped one. It shouldn't be hard to find, it's not that small, even though it's gray, just like the asphalt…"

Me, who have started to walk away to find the said keychain, stop for a moment as she says that. Then I just continue like nothing had happened.

* * *

><p>"Kagamine-san, please pay attention to what I'm saying."<p>

My head almost hit the table when the teacher says that. "R-right…" I reply the teacher as I rub both of my eyes. Sleepiness really takes me over this time.

The teacher sighs, "Why don't you wash your face to erase that sleepiness away?"

Taking the teacher's advice, I stand up from my seat and say, "Maybe that would be good. May I go to the restroom?"

"Of course you can." The teacher smiles.

With that, I walk out from the class and planning to head straight to the restroom. But right in front of the class, I stop walking.

Somehow… Something's wrong with the school corridor. Or perhaps, it's only me?

* * *

><p>"Is it night already?" Someone asks me weakly.<p>

Suddenly hearing a voice that comes from nowhere makes me surprised—first, because of, of course, the voice.

But then I realize that I'm in the dream, from the appearance of the room. And I quickly spot Len sitting on the couch, currently staring at me.

"I don't know. I don't even remember going to the bed to sleep." I answer truthfully as I walk closer to him and finally taking a seat right beside him. "It's weird, huh? But to think that I start this day by feeling sleepy already, guess it wouldn't be strange if I fell asleep in the class…"

After a moment of silence, he speaks, "Are you saying that this isn't night?"

"I… Think so?" I end up asking him back.

After that, we continue to sit together in silence. Complete silence, not even a sound made by our movement, pretty much because we don't move even just an inch.

But the thing that bugs me the most is, Len just sits there, not saying anything. No joking, no arguing, nothing.

"What is wrong with you?" I ask as I take a look of his face. His eyes are staring at nothing in particular. And for a moment, it looks blank, before he realizes that I'm talking to him. For a very short period, we have an eye contact, but after that he breaks it by looking away.

"I don't know." He says shortly. "It's just… _Strange_. I feel strange."

"…and what do you mean by 'strange', exactly?" I ask him. "For me, it's not 'strange', but you don't look that well, are you okay?" He sounds weaker than usual there, doesn't he? And he looks tired.

I'm getting even more worried about him now.

He laughs hollowly and replies, "Maybe I'm not really feeling good. Is that even possible?"

"Maybe it is… Possible." I say with uncertainty in my voice. "You're sleeping, for a long time. Your condition when you're sleeping isn't always stable, right?"

He doesn't answer, it seems like he's thinking at the moment.

"And maybe… Something's happening with the real you?"

Again, he doesn't answer.

I let a sigh escapes from my mouth. "Maybe… The best is if you wake up."

"Can you stop telling me that?" He says with a slightly annoyed tone. "Don't make it sound that I don't want to—I want to, Rin, but I can't."

His sudden snap really startles me. I just decide to keep silent after that, feeling guilty of what I've done before.

"Uh, well… So—"

"No, I mean, sorry." He says, cutting me off. "I'm just… _Confused_." He sighs heavily. "...what you're gonna do if you're in my place, Rin?"

"Eh?" That question is rather confusing for me. Why does he ask that so suddenly?

Maybe he really doesn't know what else to do. If I were in his place I probably will ask the same thing to him.

"I would…" I start. But I have no idea about what to say. "I think I would wait."

"Until?" He asks while raising his eyebrows. "Until you wake or until you die?"

'Desperate'—the exact word to describe what he probably feels from his voice. Sure, he doesn't day it. But somehow, I just understand what he feels.

Not answering his question, I say, "Sorry. Maybe I really have to understand you more. I… I know you want to, but you can't." Then I look away for a brief second. "…Because I don't want you to die, even though I don't know you."

He stares at me, his mouth slightly opened before he finally speaks, "Then, why do you… Care?"

That question… Honestly, I can't answer that. I don't want him to know that I see him often even outside the dream.

Wasn't it because of Miku? Perhaps I'm hoping him to wake up, so Miku would be happy again?

But is that the real reason?

"Because…" I start, my head is lowered. Then I look up and smile, "Maybe, meeting you in the real world will be nice. And sooner is better."

He keeps on staring at me, but now his eyes are slightly widened.

"And if _she_ wasn't there when you wake up, then I am the one who will be there for you."

Somehow, he smiles. And from his eyes, I can see that he's happy. Just seeing him happy already makes me smile as well.

"Rin?" He calls me.

"Yeah?"

"The chain." He says, gesturing the chain that holds his left leg. "Pull it."

I half-squat as I take a look at the chain. Then I pull the chain, half-thinking that it won't break.

But surprisingly, it does, right after I pull it.

"Len…" I say, half whispering. My eye widen at the unexpected result. "Just… Just one more…" My voice getting more excited in every syllable.

But contrasting my excitement, he looks at the chain left with worry.

"Just one more…"

Of course I get confused with his reaction. I thought he was going to be as happy as me. "…what's wrong?"

"I don't know why, but," He gives me an unusual smile, "things must have changed from that time. I wonder will it be okay to wake up."

He has a point there. The Miku he told me, and the Miku I know is really different.

"Sure it is." I say. "But maybe you can change it back. No, I mean, you _will_ change it back."

"What makes you so sure about that?"

I give him a playful smile. "I just know it! Are you underestimating me?"

He returns the smile back, "Guess I am, Ohime-sama."

"You should know by now that you better not underestimating me, you called me Ohime-sama after all."

"Oh, my fault. Guess I will take my words back."

"You're better not doing that, Kagamine-san." I say with fake serious voice, but I quickly drop it down. "Anyway, Len, are you feeling any better? You look… Better."

Like not realizing it at all, he raises his eyebrows, "I guess I am. Thank you very much, Ohime-sama."

"Though I didn't do anything?" I ask him, ignoring the fact that he calls me 'Ohime-sama' again although he has said he will take his words back.

"You make me feel better, thank you." He says with a wondering face. Miku had said the same thing before, to think about it.

"It doesn't make sense." I say. "I don't do a single thing that affects your _health_."

Except if he's talking about _mentally_ feeling better. But sometimes mental health affects physical health as well.

Thinking that my thought is going nowhere, I stop it before it goes too far. Controlling my mind is one important thing.

"This whole place, and our meeting are already illogical, it doesn't make sense." He says. "And here you are, trying to make sense. If everything makes sense, we won't meet each other, then."

He has a great point there. "You're right about that."

"Let's talk about something else." He says, changing the topic. "Or perhaps, we have to end this meeting session, Rin?"

And right after he said that, the dream ends.

* * *

><p>~~Hey, I actually read this chapter before updating it.<p>

Replies are here.

ChibiLove-san: Thank you, **thank you** for pointing out the errors! No one ever pointed them out before, and it makes me feel that no one cares. But you do, so thank you (again)! They should be fixed by now~ Ah, and thank you for the review!

Rising Sparks-san: Thank you for spending your time to read this story~ And... English? I can't even speak English (well, I can, a little bit with awkward pronunciation). And thank you for the review!

luthor112-san: Ah, no problem about the reply, I'm happy as well~ Yes, no matter what happens in a story, no matter how tragical is that, usually something good happens at the end... But thank you for giving a review!


	16. Chapter 16

~~Um, I didn't update yesterday. Something unexpected happened. And I'm still working on chapter 20...

Thank you for the reviews, Rising Sparks-san (eh, yes, the error is fixed now, sorry...) and luthor112-san! And thank you for all the readers!

* * *

><p>Chapter 16<p>

* * *

><p>I wake up in a place I barely recognize. It takes me a few seconds to realize that I'm in the school's infirmary.<p>

What happened anyway?

"Ah, you're finally awake." A voice that comes suddenly startles me. I immediately search for the source of the voice, and the nurse was right beside the bed. "I was worried, Kagamine-san. Someone found you unconscious in the hallway, and she even brought you here. Just for information, it's lunchtime already now."

After the nurse finished talking, I get up from the bed and about to walk away from the room when the nurse speaks again. "Already? It's better for you to take some rest."

"No… I have something to do, besides I feel fine anyway. I was just sleepy." I decline the offer. "Thank you for taking care of me." I say.

"It's better if you go home and take some rest, Kagamine-san."

I nod and say, "I will," before stepping out from the room and close the door shut behind me. I walk into my classroom to take my bag, then I go outside again.

"Rin-chan." Someone calls me. I turn around to see my classmate calling me.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you going?"

Glancing to the slightly opened door, I reply, "I need to go somewhere. Uh, maybe I'll need your help to tell the teacher that I'm leaving."

"Where to?"

I give her a smile, "I'm not really feeling well… I just got back from the infirmary, but I think it would be better if I go home and take a rest."

"Oh, okay. Get well soon, Rin-chan." She says with an assuring smile. After she said that, I walk away from the class and exit the school building.

But I really didn't think that she will believe it. It's true I just got back from the infirmary, but I'm feeling perfectly fine. If I was really not feeling well, I would rather stay in the infirmary than walk home alone by myself.

Without thinking for the second time, I start to make my way to the hospital. I feel I need to see him—just to make sure that he's _okay_.

* * *

><p>"…Hey Rin-chan, it's a surprise to see you…" Meiko greets me with wide eyes of disbelief as I enter the room. "You're early." She adds.<p>

"Yeah… I… Came earlier than… Usual…" I reply between pants. I really have no idea why I had to _run_ all the way from the school to the hospital. But in fact, I did. And it makes me out of breath and I end up panting right behind the door, not to mention the surprised look Meiko gives me. "You're… Earlier as well, right… Meiko-nee?"

"It's better if you take a seat and calm down." She says. And it implies that she wants to ask something, but asks me to calm down before that.

With no other words, I walk to the couch and plop down. After a minute trying to breathe normally, I look at Meiko and smile sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Why are you saying sorry, anyway?" She says as she walks closer to me. "You did nothing wrong, but you make me wonder… Why were you running?"

"Well… I am worried about him. No other reason." I say, taking a glance to Len who is still lying there peacefully. "…Anyway, was Miku-chan here?"

"She was, and she left not so long before you came here… running." She replies. "She said she's going to buy some food for herself since, well, she has been here since yesterday, actually. She must be hungry right? She should be back in a few minutes anyway, do you want to meet her or something?"

At first, I think it'll be nice to see her, but isn't it going to be awkward? I should be at the school, but coming here instead because of Len. And I don't really think letting Miku knows about that is a good idea since… If she sees me, it will be awkward won't it?

Because somehow, I can't tell her about what's with my dream, and who I meet there.

"No, I think it's better if I—" And my words are cut off by the sound of the door being opened.

Meiko turns her head to the door to see who's coming right away, while I, for an unknown reason, jump to the back of the couch and duck there, hoping that person won't see me here because _I think it's Miku who is coming._

"Meiko-nee?" Says the person. And I recognize it immediately that it's Miku's voice. "Seems like I have to go now—it turns out that I need to do some other things like, shopping for groceries."

"Okay then," Meiko says. "Do you need anything from me?"

"To look after him, if you're okay with that…" Comes Miku's soft answer.

"Ah, about that. Of course I will, it's my job after all…" Meiko laughs. "Okay, take care, Miku-chan."

"Ah, same for you too, Meiko-nee. Thank you." Miku says politely, and followed by the sound of door again.

I hear few footsteps before Meiko finally calls out to me, "Now you can get out from there, Rin-chan."

"Thank you, Meiko-nee." I say as I stand up and walk from behind the couch.

"It's the two of us now—I mean, _three_. Miku-chan probably won't come anymore for today." Meiko says with a smile.

"I know that." I say while making my way to get closer to Len. Then I start stroking his hair softly, slowly while looking at his face, from his closed eyes (then technically, I'm looking at his eyelids, and eyelashes) to his lips.

"He's alright, Rin-chan." Meiko adds from behind me, I can feel her holding both of my shoulders with her hands. "But yesterday was really worrying, you know. Maybe that's why Miku-chan came over until this afternoon."

"And he got better in this morning?"

"No, actually he just got better some hours ago." Meiko says. "And let me guess, you knew it."

"Knew… What?" I ask, full of confusion.

"That something happened to him. That's why you ran here. Even Miku-chan won't go that extreme." She says with a smile, then she pulls me away from the bed, making a yelp come out from my mouth. Then she turns me around so I face her. "You somehow know him better than what Miku-chan thinks, right? So tell me, how."

"…what again?" I ask, playing innocent since I know, she's asking how did I 'know' Len. I really don't want to tell our meeting in the dream to anyone, so I will avoid that question as long as I manage to.

"You know Len-kun." She says shortly. "And tell me how you knew him. You don't seem to be any of his friends that Miku-chan usually tells me."

"That's… Right. I knew Miku when I entered the senior high, before that time, I never." I say. "Miku was all alone at that time. She avoided every single human being that tried to be her friend. And I assume that at that time, Len had already…"

"Ah, that reminds me." Meiko says as she looks out through the windows. "The time when the accident happened, it was just a day before the graduation of the junior high."

I blink twice and narrow my eyes. "Doesn't that mean…"

"Well, instead of being with her friends, celebrating their successful three years in the junior high, Miku-chan stayed here, crying."

After I heard the short story, I lower my head, looking down to the floor. I never thought it was that terrible…


	17. Chapter 17

~~It was the laziness! *shot*

Thank you very much for ChibiLove-san and Rising Sparks-san who had pointed out the grammatical mistakes I made! Thank you for spending up your time to look for the mistakes!

And thank you for everyone who's reading.

...Now I feel loved.

* * *

><p>Chapter 17<p>

* * *

><p>"You still haven't answered my question, Rin-chan." Meiko says, snapping me out from my thought. "But since you're not answering me right away, I assume you don't meet him 'normally'."<p>

I tense up right away, makes it even more obvious that I met him, indeed, _abnormally_.

"And I also think that you're not his friend from his school who is probably looking for his whereabouts… Let's say a blue haired boy came and…" She trails off, realizing that she has gone out from the topic. "Never mind about that. So, if you don't want to tell me, just answer—when did you meet him for the first time?"

"Actually I'm wondering about something—why are you asking me this?" I ask, _trying my best_ to avoid the question.

"You don't seem to believe in me, eh? It's not like I'm telling Miku about this. Your secret is safe with me. After all, you won't be this caring about him if there's nothing between you and him." She says. "I'm just curious. _How_, that's it."

Nervousness takes me, and I start to take a step back from Meiko. "Um," I start, "Actually I don't want to tell this to anyone, but since you're insisting me and I think it's okay to tell you, so—"

"Little girl, try to go straight to the point." Meiko says with an evil smirk on her lips. "I'm sure you're that type of person who isn't letting the time wasted for something unimportant."

She has cornered me, metaphorically, so I really have no choice but to answer her question. And the tension makes me blurt out the answer without thinking twice about it. "O-okay. I met him about a month ago, I guess. And then after that, I found out he's Miku-chan's friend and so on… Until I start visiting him periodically."

I'm thinking of ending the story, but would she believe in that? She'll probably ask more if I left it just like that. "I didn't meet him personally—I met him inside my dream. Apparently he's trapped inside so—"

"Wait, like, seriously?" Meiko asks with a confused face. "I have been wondering—I mean, _we_ have been wondering why he doesn't wake up until now though he has gotten much better than his near-death state back then. And his current comatose state is caused by a dream?"

She speaks in full speed, barely taking a breath to say that all in once. Though I am fascinated by that, it's not my main concern, "Eh, Meiko-nee, do you really believe in me?"

"Hah. I know you won't joke at this time. And you don't seem to be lying as well, so why not? The world is more than what you know." She states with her eyebrows being raised up a bit.

"But you're a nurse, you're supposed to know what's preventing him from waking up, and it's certainly not only because a dream…" I say with a slight pout. "Something more _logical_."

"Yes I am a nurse, indeed. But no, I don't want to know." Meiko says while shaking her head. I put a face of disbelief and about to say more, but she continues. "Besides, meeting someone in a dream… That sounds interesting, isn't it? Now, if you tell me more about that…"

* * *

><p>That time when I was walking in a long hallway—I hardly ever seen that place anymore lately, when I saw the room of doors—those doors don't matter anymore for me, then when I saw him there, asking me to choose the door.<p>

Since the first meeting to the last meeting that just happened earlier some hours ago, I tell everything to Meiko.

"So, both of you think that Len-kun _probably_ can get out from there if all the chains are unattached from him?" She says with a serious look.

"Um, yeah. Because I can get in and out easily, and no chain is attached to me. So because of that…" I say. "I don't even know where do I come from, or how do I get out from the dream. I don't know what's behind the door, or what's between Len and the doors. Now I think it's not related at all, but maybe I am wrong. At this moment, we're thinking of breaking the last chain, though. If it doesn't work, then maybe I'll try going in."

"Yeah, you should try it." Meiko smiles serenely. "It's you who's he relies on, after all."

* * *

><p>After having a nice talk with Meiko-nee, I go home, thinking it will be better if I take some rest after what happened earlier in the school. I've planned to do the grocery shopping today because we're out of supplies and my mother asks me to help her, but I think we still have something to eat for 1 or 2 days.<p>

The sky is still bright, but I'm already standing in front of the front door of my house. Usually I arrive home around this time, but since I started to go to the hospital to visit Len, the schedule shifted a bit. Now, arriving earlier than usual makes me feel strange.

"I'm home." I say as I enter the house. I'm not expecting any answers because mother's still working, and my father… He travels a lot, his job is the reason. Maybe this is what people think; he doesn't spend enough time with his family. They might be right, but I know, he's working hard for his family, for us.

Because I was _really_ not expecting anyone to answer my call, I let out a weird, squeaking voice when I hear someone calls back, "Oh, welcome home Rin!"

I recognize that voice belongs to my mother right away, and I make my way to the living room where she probably is. My mother rarely comes this early, I wonder what's happening. "Mother, you startled me. I thought no one's in the house." I say as I'm walking.

"Ah, is that so?" My mother calls back. "I have my own reason, and you can see what the reason is."

And there in the living room, my mother is smiling widely, happily. And I think I know what the reason is. My father's also there, sitting next to her.

"Father!" I exclaim happily, and run to him. As soon as I am in his reach, I am wrapped in a tight hug.

"You know, the way Rin acts when she sees me again after a long time never changes since she was in the kindergarten." He says to mother. "I guess this little girl is still little after all…"

"No! One more year and I'll be graduated from high school!" I say.

"I know that, Rin." Father says and he releases the hug, then turns to ruffle my hair.

"Welcome home, father." I say.

"Well, I'm home, Rin." He says. "Finally after 5 months, I can say those words… 'I'm home'…"

"Though you have said it when you entered the house? Right, right." Mother says as she laughs, "Now, the three of us is here now—a whole family, so let's start to have some talk about how is life going."

"Right." Father agrees. "I guess we can start with Rin, I haven't heard much about your life lately."

Though I have that thought in my head, 'Why me?' I choose to start right away. "Me? I was assigned with a friend to do a project and we won. But I used that chance to become closer to her."

"I thought that partner of you is a boy." Father comments. "And at the end, the two of you become a couple. I guess it's the typical happening."

"Uh, no, father. Besides, what 'typical happening'? I never have seen it happen." I take a glance to him. "…and you want me to have a boyfriend?"

"Don't you think it's better for Rin just to be like this? I don't want anything bad happens to her." Mother says.

"Nah, it's up to Rin. Continue the story please." Father says.

"And my friend is… She's an orphan, her parents had already died." I continue the previous topic. "She lives with her friend, but now that friend of her is hospitalized."

"Oh, my…" Mother says and she covers her mouth with her fingers. "I hope she has the strength to continue on living."

"Rin, if she needs your help, give her your best, okay?" My father adds. "We will also help you in helping her."

I just nod, "I think she'll be fine, but… Okay, I will."

And I think, how lucky am I, having parents who are really caring. But, I feel sorry for those who are no longer having their parents on their side…

I wonder, what it feels when you lost your parents…?


	18. Chapter 18

~~It's the eighteenth chapter. You know what's next—I won't update until chapter 24 is finished. There's an author note at the bottom, if anyone bothers to check it.

* * *

><p>Chapter 18<p>

* * *

><p>The next day, I meet Miku on my way to the school. We immediately decide to walk together for the rest of the way.<p>

"Morning Rin-chan!" Miku is the one who greets first this time. And from how she talks, she seems to be happy. "How was yesterday? Anything good at the school?"

"Nothing in particular. I left the school early yesterday because I wasn't feeling really good." I say, not fully being honest.

"Eh…?" She turns to me and looks at me with eyes filled with worry.

I wave my hand frantically, realizing that I might have made her worried by saying that. "No no no no! I'm fine now! I was just too tired yesterday!"

She lets out a sigh of relief, "Oh, thank goodness. I was afraid you're still feeling unwell. Anyway, Rin-chan! Yesterday I went to the hospital…"

I gulp. She doesn't know went there as well, right? While hoping so, she continues on speaking. "And Len's getting better now." She smiles.

I feel myself smile as well, "That's good!"

"I hope he'll wake up soon. And if that time has come, I will introduce you to him, Rin-chan! I'm sure that he wants to befriend someone as nice as you, it'll be good if the three of us get along together." She says with an excited face.

Despite the awkward moment when your friend is planning on introducing you to one of her friends, when actually you already know that person and your friend doesn't know it, I look away, blushing a bit because of an unknown reason. "Thank you for the compliment, but I'm not _that_ nice."

She only smiles, "Always saying that line, don't you?"

"What?" I ask, not understanding what she means.

But she shakes her head. "Nothing. Ah, shall we walk faster? I want to arrive at the school earlier, if you're okay with that."

"Oh, of course it's okay. Let's walk faster then…" And with that, we start walking in a faster pace to the school.

* * *

><p>It's the usual, noisy class that greets me in the morning as I step a foot into the class. But still, though it's noisy, somehow it still brings a smile to my lips.<p>

Then I see someone—a girl—looks at our way and suddenly exclaims, "Hatsune-chan! Where were you yesterday?" And she jumps about a meter away from Miku, then she hugs Miku.

Miku doesn't seem to expect being hugged so sudden. The reply she gives to her is a statement of confusion, "Eh?"

"Yesterday I wanted you to teach me how to draw, but you didn't come to the school!" She pouts.

As they are talking together, I slip past the scene while giggling, and walk to my desk. On the way, the girl from yesterday greets me. "Oh, morning Rin-chan. How are you?"

"I'm fine." I say while giving a smile to her. Then I continue to walk to my desk and sit on the chair. She follows me and takes the seat in front of me.

"Hey." She says. "Actually Hatsune-chan has changed now, right? She talks more, compared to the exact same person I knew almost 2 years ago."

"You're right." I say.

"Anyway, you know what?" She says with a wondering voice. "Hatsune-chan used to be an outgoing, happy person back in the junior high."

I raise my eyebrows—of course I know that, Len told me before. But, "From where did you know that?"

"Said the person who went to the same school with her." She says, looking up to the ceiling. "But that's just… Much different from the Hatsune-chan I know now—I thought it's someone else who has the same name, but now, I'm starting to think it _is_ her."

I don't give a response right away. Then, after a moment, I ask, "…like that?" wondering whether the conversation has ended or not.

"Do you think… It's good?" She asks again.

With Miku getting better with people around her, if that makes her happier, then I think, "I think so."

* * *

><p>After the school end bell rings, everyone in the class gather their belongings and put them into their bags. And in less than five minutes, the class is already empty with only a few numbers of students inside. I'm still inside the class as well, standing next to my desk while skimming the list of groceries that need to be bought instead of getting out from the class.<p>

"Rin-chan, what are you doing? Aren't you going home?" Someone says from behind. I slowly turn my head to the source of the voice, and find Miku standing behind me.

Though I was a bit startled with her sudden appearance—or maybe she hasn't left the class—I answer, "I'm checking the list of things I need to buy. I'll go straight to the market to buy these supplies." I say while showing her the list.

"Oh, just in time. May I go with you?" She asks. "I also need to do the shopping."

With Miku going along with me, of course I get a companion. But hadn't she gone shopping yesterday? Or maybe I misheard her yesterday. But to make sure, I ask her. "Haven't you done the shopping yesterday?"

"…right, I have." She says in a 'you-caught-me' tone. "But, is there something wrong with going with you?"

"No, nothing at all." I say. Finally finished in checking the list, I shove the list into my pocket and grab the strap of my bag, then slung it to my shoulder. "Okay, now I'm ready. Let's go."

But it's strange. She doesn't ask me why I know that she went shopping yesterday.

* * *

><p>"What's next?" Miku asks while taking a glance to the list.<p>

"Fruits and vegetables, I guess." I say as I look at the groceries in the basket.

"Oh?" She asks with a hint of excitement in her voice. She suddenly walks ahead me to the fruits and veggies section.

Still being questioned with her sudden enthusiasm, I follow her from behind. After the vegetables are inside our sight, Miku goes straight to a pile (it's not really piling actually) of spring onions.

"Right, that's also in my list." I say.

"Okay, Rin-chan." She says as she starts to choose the freshest spring onion. After her hands are full—I have no idea as well why she picks that many—she shoves the onions into my arms. "Your list says that you need some. So this is for you, I've picked the best from the best."

"O-okay, thanks." I say while looking at the green and while vegetable in my hands. I start to think there's something between her and spring onions.

Miku wanders somewhere else after that, while I continue to pick another vegetable. After I'm done, I head to the fruit section. The bright orange color of orange catches my attention immediately and I get lost in picking the oranges, until Miku comes up to me.

"Aren't you going to buy some bananas?" She asks, at the same time she helps me by choosing the oranges. She's definitely good at picking fruits and vegetables.

"Bananas? That'll be good." I say. I fact, I don't really like bananas. But maybe my parents will like it if I buy some bananas. "Though, why bananas? Do you like to eat banana?"

"I _thought_ that yellowish thing is extremely disgusting and I always avoided eating bananas, or anything associated with banana. But after I tried it, actually it didn't turn as bad as I thought. No wonder Len was crazy about that certain fruit." She says.

That's something new for me, "He does?"

"He did." She says while nodding. "What fruit do you like, Rin-chan?"

I point at myself, "Me? I personally like oranges. They are juicy and… Just different from the other fruits~" I say with a huge grin. "What about you, Miku-chan?"

"Ah?" She turns to me with her eyebrows raised. "Just see."

Although there is something with her weird and unusual smile, I'm still waiting for her answer.

* * *

><p>~~It's coming. The sacred vegetable is coming.<p>

I just knew that 'freshest' is a word. I've said it, I don't speak English.

ChibiLove-san! Thank you for reviewing! Here's the reply: Congratulations! I'm glad you can find it on time~ And eh, I'm okay with that—I'll be very thankful if you do, actually. Thank you for the reading, and the review, triple thank you~

I just feel that I have to thank everyone who reads this, because I'm glad that people are reading~

So, thank you everyone.


	19. Chapter 19

~~I fail at English (I don't even know that sentence is right or not). Thank you ChibiLove-san for fixing the errors. I feel guilty, actually.

As you can see, chapter 24 was finished... yesterday. But I didn't have the time to turn on my computer. Sorry for the wait, if anyone is waiting.

LunaLapis-san, ChibiLove-san, thank you for the reviews. And for everyone who's still reading, thank you for reading.

What's with the lack-of-exclamation-mark author note?

* * *

><p>Chapter 19<p>

* * *

><p>We are walking in silence after we have finished with the shopping—Miku was also buying some vegetables. Then I decide to look at Miku. I'm curious about what she is doing right now instead of talking—she talks a lot today, maybe it's because of Len. But I'm not hearing any voice from her mouth right now.<p>

And right when I look at her who is eating something, I widen my eyes. She looks back at me, wondering at my sudden surprised expression after looking at her. "What's wrong, Rin-chan?" She asks with her head tilted.

"You're eating a **raw** spring onion?" I exclaim in disbelief. I thought that spring onion is for something else, other than eating it raw!

She just smiles, "You weren't expecting that, right? But my favorite food is spring onion."

So that's what she meant by 'just see' before, but I'm not going to give a negative comment on her unusualness—she has the right to choose her favorite food. I give a compliment instead, "Well, that's rare, compared to me who like oranges, as I'm not the only one who is crazy about oranges. I mean, I never meet someone who likes spring onion that much."

Miku looks at me and opens her mouth, but not saying anything until she closes her mouth again. She says something after a minute has passed, though. "I wonder why, your words remind me of him… He commented like that as well after he found it out, though I think that shouldn't be said by a boy who loves bananas."

I laugh lightly while thinking. Is she talking about Len again? And like reading my mind, she speaks again, "I… talk too much about Len today, sorry."

I reply, "It's alright, Miku-chan. You must be happy that there's a chance that he'll wake up sooner."

Once again biting on her spring onion, she asks, "Rin-chan, do you think he will?"

With a happy smile—that feeling when you're waiting for something good to happen—I say, "He will, of course. You're still waiting for him as well, right? There's still at least one reason for him to wake up—to open his eyes and see you smiling at him."

She looks surprised by my words, but then her surprised face melts into a happy face for one more time, "Yeah!"

For both of their sakes, I need to free him from the dream. I'm sure Len will be happy if he can see Miku again, he loves her after all.

But there's still a part of me that gets hurt whenever I recall him saying that he loves Miku…

"Rin-chan, what's wrong?" Miku suddenly says as she waves her hand in front of my face. "Oh, zoning out, I see…"

"Well, sorry Miku-chan…" I say with lack of tone in my voice.

She looks at me with a concerned look before starting to pull my hand. With a flushed face, she says, "Now you're back to the earth. Let's walk faster before it's getting late!"

I like seeing her enthusiasm, her happiness, and her smiling face—something I wouldn't see if I didn't make the first move to open the mystery of hers, and seeing her like that makes me happy. But there's still that other happiness whenever I'm around him, whether talking or just sitting next to each other, and when I see him.

Is that the same feeling I feel towards 2 different people, or I have 2 different feelings to each of them?

* * *

><p>At first I thought I didn't have a dream because I was too tired, but when I still don't have any dreams for about a week, I start to feel something is definitely wrong.<p>

Until one day, I am in the hallway again. Knowing that I have to go to the room of doors, I walk to the end of the hallway, but only to be stopped by a door. That door is always been there, but when I try to open it, nothing happens, as if the door is locked. I wait, just wait there until someone finally opens the door. I hear a cracking sound of an old door being opened, followed by the sound of high heels clicking the floor.

Someone reveals herself out, and when _she_ sees me, the thing she says is, "It's you again? Why are you still here?"

As I am wondering about her question and how should I answer her, she walks past me, her figure fading in every step she takes until she's out from my sight. I sit there still, finally realizing that she was the one I saw in my 'plotted dream'.

Why does she keep on appearing around in this place I call a 'dream'?

* * *

><p>It's the next day, when I'm finally able to enter the room of doors and meet him there. After more than a week, I can see him (if it's about seeing, I've seen him in the real world but the feeling is completely different), hear his voice, and be with him again.<p>

"Long time no see, Rin." He greets with a huge grin on his face.

We haven't seen each other for a week, _just_ for a week, and I feel like I haven't seen him for months. "It's… Yeah, long time no see, Len." I say, trying to hide my excitement, but I fail miserably as I keep on moving around, unable to stand still on a single spot. I have that urge to say 'I miss you', but isn't that a bit straight forward?

"I… How are you?" I say instead.

"Staying the same. Asking that question will be no use, Rin. I'm the one who supposed to say that." He says with a stern look at me. That makes me want to turn around and ask him to stop staring at me. But he continues, "So, how is everything in the real world?"

"Um…" I mutter, unsure what to say first. "It's December already. And… May I sit next to you?"

With one of his eyebrow being raised, he says, "Of course."

Somehow, after that, the conversation ends. Now it's just the two of us staring at random things that happen to be in the room. I can pretty much say, everything inside the room looks good and new. I wonder why…

"Oh, that reminds me." I say, breaking the awkward silence between the two of us. "The chain, have you tried to break it?"

He looks at me with a confused look before answering me. "No, I was occupied with something else so I had no time to do anything to the chain." Then he looks down, to the chain to be more exact. "Someone else is in this dream, and I have to deal with that person."

"Eh, really?" I ask, not expecting that. "Is that person influential to this dream world? I couldn't seem to enter this place for the past week."

"I don't know about that, and you don't have to know—now you're here, right?" He says.

"Mmm, that's right." I say. "Now about the chain, let me see…" then I take a look at the chain. The chain looks the same like before, nothing special. So I grab the chain and try to jerk it so it will be broken, but nothing happens.

"Last time you tried it, the chain broke in the first try." He says while examining the chain closely, his right hand on his chin.

I wait for him to say something—he looks serious, maybe he's thinking of something—but until he looks away with a sigh escaping from his mouth, he still doesn't say anything.

"I can't think of anything." He says, like it's the final conclusion of his long thought. "Maybe it breaks randomly, we just have to wait. There's nothing we can do, anyway."

The last chain that makes him unable to get out from the dream. If it gets broken, he can leave. But instead of finding a way to break it, he chooses to wait. A great patience he has. Being trapped in here for years, unable to see someone he loves.

Another reason why I think everything in this world is unfair. And I think I will not wait anymore, I have to get him out from here.

"Hey Len, are you giving up already?" I ask, but not giving him any chance to reply. "Maybe I've said this several times, but you need to see her, right?"

He nods. "Yes."

"And she needs to see you."

He hesitates to answer, and ends up not giving any.

"Come on, you have to have the wish to get out from here!"

"Yes, yes, I know that." He says. "Even though she's not waiting for me to wake up, I think I will…"

"Have you forgotten what I say? She does. And in case, she didn't, someone else must be waiting for you." I feel a smile curling up. "And I will be there next to you when you wake up, I promise."

After I say that, the chain breaks easily, then falls to the floor and disappears.

"I've said it, you're the one who break the chains, Rin." He says with a satisfied smile. "Because everything happened after you started coming here." Then he laughs, I can tell he's feeling happy right now. "And thank you very much, Rin, for everything."

"No, no need to thank me about that. I'm happy as well, Len." I say happily.

Maybe… Because I will do anything for his happiness.


	20. Chapter 20

~~Last time I updated (the previous chapter), I actually looked for the errors I (should've) made. This time, however... Sorry if there are some errors.

Anyway, I won't update until next week or around that time. This time, the reason's not "I haven't finished chapter xx" like usual. Whatever the reason is (?), I'm sorry for that.

Rising Sparks-san: Really? I had tried my best to fix the mistakes before uploading it. It wasn't a waste if you say that there's no mistakes, then. Thank you~

Halios Mililios-san: Here's the next one! English... Well, thank you~

luthor112-san: Thank you for the review~

Let's continue. Before that, thank you to all the readers. And, oh, wish me luck.

* * *

><p>Chapter 20<p>

* * *

><p>"Rin-chan, good morning."<p>

My hand that's reaching the locker stops when I hear someone greets me. "Oh, morning, Luka-chan!" Then the hand continues to go inside the locker to retrieve my indoor shoes. "How are you?"

"All fine with stocks of tuna back in the house." She says calmly—she finally manages not to go crazy if talking about tuna, but still, she's talking about tuna—then she follows my action of taking the shoes. "Then how are you, Rin-chan?"

"I'm fine as well." I smile. "Then, I will go to my class now, Luka-chan. See you later!"

I leave Luka and run to the class. School starts about 15 minutes, actually I don't need to run to the class, but I want to. Maybe the warm, fluffy feeling I have now makes me really excited, somehow.

The class door is already opened, there's no need to open it. I enter the class and say, "Morning everyone!"

"Morning, Rin-chan." The first person who answers my reply is Miku. She's standing near the door. "I was going to go outside to find you, but now you're here, so…"

"What do you need from me? Is there something I can help you with?" I ask her while walking to my desk to put my bag.

Miku fiddles with her index fingers, "You know, Christmas is coming, so… Will you help me to find some presents? I need to give some people gifts for Christmas." She says.

"That's a good idea. Of course I'll go with you!"

Miku stares at me for a moment with a wondering face. Then after that, she laughs hard.

"W-what's wrong, Miku-chan?" I ask unsurely. This is the first time I hear Miku laugh over something funny, and she probably is laughing at my face—I wonder what's funny about this.

"You look over-excited today. Is something good happening or going to happen anytime soon?" Miku asks after her laughter died down. "No-nothing's funny. It's just unusual to see that."

"Oh, really?" A bubbly feeling starts to appear inside of me. "I don't know why, maybe because the weather is nice. So, there must be something nice happening today."

For no reason, Miku hurriedly looks away from me, "Um, maybe. Is it depends on the weather? Like, if the weather is bad, something bad is happening?"

"No." I say. "Behind that, there must be something good as well. It doesn't really depend on the weather."

"Technically saying, there must be something good even behind the worst thing." She says while staring at something that seems far away. "Rin-chan, I envy you for being able to see the world like that, from the positive point of view. With that way, you can accept everything, right?"

"I'm not so sure about that, but now I'm okay with everything I have right now." I say. "Expect that one, when I see someone who is unable to feel the same thing, I think that's unacceptable."

* * *

><p>The road to the center of the town is full of people, walking here, there, to many different directions. There's a possibility that this is caused by the nearing event, Christmas. Or maybe, because the weather is brighter than usual, so people decide to go out and fill the stores to buy something.<p>

Miku and I are one of those people. We both think that the gift shop is the best place to buy gifts (the name says it), so we go in to take a look.

"Rin-chan, see this! They have a spring onion-shaped plush doll!" Miku says from behind the pile of dolls.

I laugh hearing her excitement, seems like she likes the spring onions that much, not only the taste itself, but the shape as well—I won't be surprised if she suddenly comes out from her house wearing a shirt with a picture of spring onion printed on it.

"Do you want that for your Christmas present?" I ask.

She looks at me with a blank look before answering. "Eh, a spring onion shaped plush doll for Christmas? That sounds…" She walks away from the dolls section and looks around. She speaks, but not continuing the previous one. "Come on, Rin-chan. Why don't you look around to find something?"

I just realize that instead of looking for presents, I was looking at her. "Oh, that's right."

I start looking around, and then, in less than a minute, something catches my attention. It's a small orange shaped keychain. But since the shape is orange and the one who likes orange is me, I will end up keeping it for myself.

At the other side of the shelf, there are some mugs, arranged neatly by the size because none of them has the same shape or color. And I have to say it, all of them look good.

I take one mug that I think is cute from the shelf to get a better look. It's a white colored mug with pale yellow stripes on it. But the thing that makes me think it's cute is the bear—also made from porcelain like the mug itself—that sits on the rim. The bear wears a yellow shirt that I think goes well with its light brown fur.

This is a great Christmas present, but I don't know for whom. Mugs in the house is more than enough, I shouldn't give this to mother and father. Maybe I'll give them something else, something that will be more useful. Then, who should I give this to? Miku? Or Len? But giving him a present is almost impossible—I'm not saying impossible, it's _still_ possible.

"That mug is cute." Miku says from behind—I don't even know when she came. She takes a better look at the mug, which I have raised to her eye level, and comments. "Are you going to give that to someone you love?"

"What?" I ask in surprise as I lower the mug. Does she know that I'm thinking of giving this to Len? "I… Why are you asking that?"

"Eh? Haven't you read it?" She asks with her eyebrow slightly raised. Then she takes the tag into her hand and shows it to me. "It's a thermochromic mug—the color will change if you pour hot water into the mug. The color is going to be white with a heart printed on it…"

She said the right thing—it's all printed on the tag, but I didn't saw it before. A heart print will appear, and heart means love. But love is not as hard as people usually think, and it doesn't always mean like what 'love' usually interpreted to.

Or maybe it's just me who is making excuse, saying that 'I don't love anyone in _that way_' so I can think of something like that. "For my parents, maybe?" It came out as a question instead of statement.

"Oh, that makes sense." Miku says with a (somehow sad) smile.

Then I remember something. She doesn't have parents anymore, right? And no sibling as well… I really shouldn't say that before.

"Um, Miku-chan. Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." I say. "Your family had already…"

Now it's Miku who has an apologetic look on her face. She waves her hand while saying, "N-no need to say sorry to me, Rin-chan! That happened long time ago, now I'm okay with that fact. Besides, I think of Len as my brother, so… I'm not that alone."

She sighs after that, her face shows sadness for a brief moment but after that she smiles again. I wonder she's okay…

But she said that she thinks of Len as her brother? Didn't she say that she loves him? Or maybe I misinterpreted her answer at that time, and she meant she loves him as her brother? But I'm sure she didn't mean it like that.

"Miku, didn't you say that you… love him?" I ask hesitantly.

She turns a bit, so I'm right in front of her right now. But then she lowers her head, saying, "I… I never like him in that way. It always had been a sister and brother relationship for me."

And instantly, my mind processes what I just got from her statement. I don't know why there is this slight pain in my chest when I know Miku doesn't love Len back in that way—I have no role in this, but why am I the one who feels hurt from the indirect rejection?

Then, from the corner of my eyes, I can see her clutching the transparent case in her hand (probably a gift she had chosen) harder than beforeand I manage to take a look on it.

An orange keychain. It's different from the one I saw earlier—this one has the orange as a plush doll, and it's slightly bigger.

Why it has to be an orange shaped keychain? But more importantly, why did she lie to me?

* * *

><p>~~Stumbled upon the information about thermochromic mug when I was searching about 'mug', then I thought it's a good idea to add it into the story... Random? You can say so.<p>

No Len in this chapter... Well, just wait.


	21. Chapter 21

~~I'm back, alive, and annoyed by the fact that my pen-tab (ahaha, I just think about that. It sounds... nice) doesn't connect to the computer... Never mind.

LunaLapis-san: Ha! Right timing to ask about Kaito! But, without answering your question, I'll say "thank you for the review".

* * *

><p>Chapter 21<p>

* * *

><p>It's the night of Christmas already—I really didn't think the time would pass this quickly. And what I am doing at the moment is staring at the bear mug I bought earlier with Miku on my desk.<p>

I ended up buying the mug, but until now, I still don't know whom this mug for. I've bought a handkerchief for my father, and a pouch for my mother. For Miku, I found a small, white-green colored box that's decorated by spring onion prints and a small replica of spring onion on top of the lid (this thing really questions me, why something like this exists? Maybe there's another person who likes spring onion and that person made a special order?).

But the mug? The only one in my mind is Len, but isn't the mug is a little girlish? And I haven't seen him at all since our last meeting in the dream, not even in the real world.

He still hasn't awake, eh…?

Then, the door suddenly opens, and I can see my mother standing in front of the door, with a happy smile plastered on her face. "Rin! Your father and I are going to spend this night together!"

I smile. "That's nice." 2 years ago, father was unable to spend Christmas with his family, especially mother. The same thing happened last year. But this time, father is here, so of course, mother is thrilled with that.

"We're going to go now, Rin. I just want you to take care of yourself and… If you want to go to your friend's house, you can go. I know you can do it, Rin."

"Of course I can, mother." I say. "Have a good night together."

"Of course we will, thank you my dear daughter~ Take a good care~" She says happily before closing the door.

Maybe it's a good idea to go to Miku's house…

* * *

><p>Miku allows me to go to her house this night—that's not a surprise for me, actually—but Miku is the one who got confused.<p>

"Don't you have another planning with you family?" She asked.

"I don't. Mother and father want to spend the night just the two of them." I replied. "Don't you think it's lonely when you're alone in your house in the cold night?"

"Yeah, I'm alone too, and I have no planning so if you want to come over, actually I will be glad." She said, and that's the end of the call.

I take my jacket from the hanger and wear it. Then I grab Miku's present from my desk and head out from my room. I walk down the stairs and go to the kitchen to have mineral water plus orange. After that, I am ready to go to Miku's house.

"I'm leaving." I say to no one in particular before getting out from the house and lock the door.

But I didn't think of it before, that the weather would be this cold…

* * *

><p>"Your face is red, Rin-chan. Are you okay?" Miku asks me worriedly after she opened the door for me.<p>

"I'm okay. It's just freezing outside." I say through my gritted teeth while walking to the living room.

"Perfect timing, then. I just made some hot chocolate." She says. After she escorted me to the living room and let me sit on the couch, she disappears to the kitchen and comes back bringing teo mugs of hot chocolate. "Here." She says as she places it on the table.

I quickly pick it up and hold it in my hand. After I'm warmed up (at least my hands), I finally take a sip of the chocolate. "Thank you, Miku-chan."

"No problem. I'm the one who's supposed to say thank you, because you choose to spend this night here…" She says with blush on her cheeks. "I thought you have something to do with someone today."

"I never do anything special in Christmas night. Like, dating or something." I say truthfully.

"Then I start to wonder, why someone as nice as you still not having any boyfriend?" Miku asks with a curious voice. Before I can say anything about that, she continues. "Don't mind that."

I do what she said, not minding her previous question. Then I ask her, "How about you, Miku-chan? Anything in the Christmas night?"

"It always been nothing." She says. "Maybe since I don't spend the night with my parents, but since Len used to be here, I never been alone. The only time I spent this moment alone was last year. I'm glad… That someone is actually here for me right now."

Last year must be really lonely for her. But, is she talking about me? I'm glad that I can be here for her, actually. And I'm happy that she's glad with me being here. I feel something is missing here.

"Actually, I've been thinking of this lately, Rin-chan." She says, her head lovered down and makes her eyes get covered by her teal bangs. She sighs and looks at me, straight in the eyes. Blush starts to creep on her cheeks. "I…"

_Ding, dong_. The bell rings, interrupting her words. But Miku seems to be glad of it, because she goes away quickly from the living room to the front door.

I feel something similar the current moment had happened before. I decide to follow her to the front door to see who rings the bell this late—it's not that late, but I think it's late enough for someone to go to someone else's house.

Miku opens the door slowly while saying. "Yes, how can I he…"

Looking at the person who is standing on the door makes me understand why she stops talking so suddenly. It's none other than Shion Kaito.

Something like this is certainly, had happened before.

"What do you want again?" Miku asks, the politeness in her previous voice disappears. I think something is between the two of them, or maybe, actually Miku's a tsundere?

Kaito's face shows the face of disappointment. "Is that what you say when you have a guest in the Christmas night, that actually wants to visit you instead of doing what people usually do?"

"...You're implying that you have no one to go with, right?" Miku says sharply. Those words simply pierce Kaito's heart—I can see him giving Miku a fake hurt look. "But you can get in, Kaito-kun."

"Thank you Miku-chan!" He says as he throws his hands up to the air. "It's cold outside."

"Okay, okay." Miku says shortly as she walks back into the house, with Kaito and I following her from behind. "Then, are the two of you feeling hungry? The food is ready."

"Whoa. Miku-chan, I know you must know it already that I'm going to come. Do you have the sixth sense or what?" Kaito says jokingly.

"No, I don't. Don't say anything else, Kaito-kun. _It's annoying_." Miku says. Then she goes to the kitchen to prepare the food.

I walk into the kitchen as well, "Miku-chan, is there something I can help you with?"

She looks at me, thinking. "Nothing. But if you can stay at the living room and prevent Kaito-kun from annoying me even more, I will feel really helped." She says with a smiling face that doesn't really match her words.

"O-okay then, Miku-chan…" With that, I walk away from the kitchen and join Kaito in the living room. I take a seat next to him silently, he's busy with looking at Miku's sketchbook after all.

"I never have seen Miku acts that… rude to anyone else but you." I say. "The two of you are not fighting, right?"

Still looking at the book, he replies, "No, we never. The last time I met her back in junior high, we were having a good friendship. But now..." He sighs. "At least, this time she seems to be happier than before."

"Well… Maybe you're right about that…" I say.

None of us say anything after that.

"Um, Shion-san…" I begin.

"Kaito is fine." He says.

I look at him before continuing. "Okay, Kaito-san… Why are you coming here?"

"Miku had said it before, I don't have anyone to go with." He says easily. "At first I want to accompany Miku, because I thought she would be alone. But it turns out that you're already here with her."

"Well… I was thinking about the same thing." I say. "But I think Miku is happy that you're here."

"What? She's certainly feeling annoyed with me being here." He says.

"She wouldn't let you in if you were _that_ annoying." I say as the matter of fact.

He doesn't give any reply, but he finally closes the sketchbook he has been looking at throughout the conversation. "Kagamine-chan… You know Len… Kagamine Len, right?"

"Yes, I do." I say while nodding, thinking why he asks me about Len.

"You looks like him." He says shortly.

"I know that." I say.

"You have the same surname."

"That is also right."

"You're his lost twin sister…?" He asks unsurely.

"No, I'm not."

He looks away to the window, feeling disappointed. "I thought the last one is right as well…"

I laugh, "Sorry to disappoint you, Kaito-san. But that is the fact."

Miku steps out from the kitchen, looking at us for a moment before finally calling us. "Hey, dinner's ready. Let's eat together~"

"Yes, coming!"


	22. Chapter 22

~~Not being in the 'real world' made me unable to access the internet. And yesterday when I finally got back, fan fictions, a lot of them, haaa—

**I forgot to say thank you in the last chapter**, and it bugged me very much. As an apology, fast update? But I'm still writing the twenty sixth chapter, way to go to the thirtieth. And the length of this fic isn't planned, I don't know when it will end...

Thank you for all the readers! I'll always say thank you for everyone who's supporting me!

Nyaaloid-san and Happiness Sunshine and Gum-san, thank you for the reviews~

Note: He's in this chapter. Luka hasn't been mentioned lately in the story. Maa—

* * *

><p>Chapter 22<p>

* * *

><p>Miku's cooking was good—I was kind of expecting that, though. I can imagine her wearing an apron, cooking happily while carrying her child on her back. She will be a great mother after she gets married.<p>

"Miku-chan, I will be really glad if I get a wife just like you in the future!" Kaito says as he walks back to the living room after eating. Then he adds using a lower voice, "Or maybe you can be my wife from now on, Miku."

"Thank you, but I'm not interested to be your wife." She says politely, making that sarcasm feeling.

"I'm just kidding, Miku-chan." Kaito says casually after that, and he joins me on the couch. "Then, what are we going to do next? Watch a movie?"

He stands up again and walks to where the TV is. He opens the cabinet near the TV—from what I think, it's a cabinet filled with discs. Seems like he's looking something to watch.

Miku, who's just walked into the living room catches Kaito doing that immediately. "What are you doing, opening the cabinets inside my house without my permission?"

"Searching for something to watch." Kaito answers like what he's doing at the moment is normal. "Anyway this house is Len's, right?"

Before I know it, Miku has already held a pillow she got from somewhere. In 2 seconds, the pillow hits Kaito. _Hard_.

"I'm just kidding, Miku-chan. Don't be so mean like that." He says, waving his hand like saying 'nothing, it's nothing, you don't need to take it seriously'. "But maybe I shouldn't open up cabinets like that. Let's just watch in peace now, shall we?"

"If it wasn't Christmas night, I won't forgive you." Miku says as she looks into the cabinet. "What do you want to watch, Rin-chan? We have plenty of movies here."

"Eh, I'm okay with anything." I say, though I stand up and walk to the cabinet to see what's inside. "Ah, Kaito-kun can choose it."

"Not him." Miku says seriously. "That's the punishment."

So, I'm the one who choose the movie to watch. It's okay, looks like the two of them are enjoying the movie as well. Or maybe, because we watch it together? It always feels different when you watch alone and when you watch with someone else, for example your friends.

Maybe with that way, we also get the feeling of togetherness.

* * *

><p>Mother and father still haven't arrived at home when I come home, though it's late already. I decide to go to sleep without waiting for them because I'm tired already.<p>

After all the unnecessary lamps are turned off, I go to my room and slip into my warm blanket then drift off to sleep.

Then, in seconds, I find myself sitting on the couch, inside the dream. I have no idea how did I end up here, and why. But I am here, sitting alone inside the dream. Am I really alone here? Where is Len?

"…what are you doing here?" Suddenly I hear someone asking from behind me.

I look back, and see Len standing behind me (and the couch). Seeing him makes me smile, and that also makes him smiles back at me.

I look down to his feet, which instantly reminds me of something. "Len… Why are you still here? You're not chained anymore, right?"

He shrugs. "I don't know why. Let's hope that this is our last meeting inside the dream."

"Oh, okay…" I say. I turn around to my previous position since he has walked away and seated himself on the couch in front of me. "You know, this is Christmas night."

"Already?" He asks in surprise. "…It doesn't matter anyway. But knowing it's Christmas night… makes me happy."

"Does it? I'm glad you're happy about this." I say.

"Talking about happiness reminds me of your friend who you usually talking about. I'm not going to ask anything about it, though." He asks. "It's something between you and your friend, right? I have no right to ask about personal things~"

'It not that personal—she's your friend as well.' I would say.

"Ah, I wonder how she's doing right now…" He mumbles to himself. Maybe he's talking about Miku? "I know, I'm not her everything. She will be okay even if I'm not there beside her—no, I am a burden for her, it better if I'm not there. Even like that, I still have something to tell her, so I guess, I still have to wake even though no one is waiting for me to wake."

I look at him, straight in the eyes. "Who said that no one waits for you, Len?" And then I laugh.

"At least I do." I continue. "That's why, let this meeting is the last neeting inside the dream, and let's meet each other again in the real world."

"I've said that, Rin." He says.

"Can't I repeat it?" I ask.

"No, you can't!"

"Okay okay…" Somehow, it's fun to annoy him a bit. "Then I'm just going to repeat this—I'll be by your side when you wake up, I promise."

After looking at me for a moment, he speaks. "Rin… What makes you care about me? I never even have seen you in the real world before, and you act like I'm someone important to you…"

I look down a bit. "Because you're important to me, Len… Though we only meet each other inside the dream like this." I look up again, this time my gaze goes up to the ceiling. "At first… It's because of her. Since you got into the accident and don't wake until now, she made a distance between the other people, trying not to get closer to any of them, including me. It's what you call 'a fear of losing' previously, since she thought she will probably lost you, and she didn't want to lose anyone important to her anymore. So she tried not to make anyone 'important' to her."

I stop for a moment to take a breath, then continue, right before he could say anything. "Then, I thought if you wake up, she'll become 'normal' like before. She's originally not like that—I know that from you, you told me that she was a 'happy' person, right?"

He looks confused, but I'm _still_ not giving him any chance to speak or ask. "But now, I think things are already changing, including me. At first I thought I have to get you out from here for your freedom. Then, it turns that her friend she's talking about is you, who is actually still alive in a coma. It changed. The reason why I want to get you out from here changed. But after that, I thought again. I want you to get out… for you, to be happy."

"Rin? Your friend is—"

"No question! Save it for later." I say. "You have to wake up first to have it answered."

He smiles. "Okay, Rin. It's a deal, you have to answer me after that."

"No, I mean, you'll find out the answers by yourself." I say. "That's why you have to wake up… _Please_?"

Then I feel like someone is calling for me. Maybe someone from the real world?

"Ah, you're waking up, Rin." He says, slightly disappointed. "Then, let's meet each other again."

"Yeah, let's meet each other again." I say before waking up inside my room. I roll in order to face the window, which is actually still covered by the curtains.

"Oh, you're awake, Rin!" My mother exclaims loudly, right in front of my left ear.

"Hmm… What is it?" I ask sleepily.

"Nothing, actually. I felt like I need to wake you up, just that." She says.

"Nah, it's fine." I say as I get up from the bed and walk to the bathroom.

"Oh, that's nice since we have to do a quick packing for the 2 days trip."

I almost spit the foams inside my mouth (because I'm brushing my teeth) when she says that. "What?"

"It's okay Rin, we'll come home tomorrow." Mother says easily. "Hurry and don't waste your time, okay?"

"Okay!" I call her back. Going on a trip is not a problem for me—not at all—but what if Len wakes up and I'm not there? I can't fulfill the promise.


	23. Chapter 23

~~Chapters end awkwardly (I mean, the ending is awkward) lately, sorry for that. But a new chapter is here, and let's see what happens in this chapter...

Thank you for everyone who's still supporting me ・ω・ And 2 reviews, yay! Thank you for RPR-san and LunaLapis-san!

* * *

><p>Chapter 23<p>

* * *

><p>Two days later, December twenty-seventh. Miku sends me a message in the morning.<p>

"How was the trip? Was it fun? Did you enjoy it? I hope you do, Rin-chan. Today's Len's birthday, and since I couldn't see you yesterday and I have something to do today, I left something in the mailbox of your house. Get it quickly, I'm afraid someone else took it. But let's just hope it's still there. Merry Christmas, Rin-chan."

After I read the message, I raise my eyebrows. I doubt Len's birthday has anything to do with me—I even think that's a part that has nothing to do with the rest of the message… But I quickly ignore that part, and then I go down to retrieve the thing Miku said in the message.

Luckily it's still there—it turns out to be my Christmas present from Miku. The orange shaped plush doll with keychain, so it's a present for me. Ignoring the coldness, not going back to the house for more warmth, I open the package there.

I put it in my palm, then I look at it. It's cute—I have to say thank you to Miku. But seeing this keychain reminds me of what she said before.

"_I never like him in that way._"

Then, who does she love the most? But, do I really need to know that?

* * *

><p>Finally I get the chance to go to the hospital to visit Len, since mother and father have something to do, together. They probably want to spend the moment together—of course their daughter understands about that and tries her best not to bother them.<p>

Miku has something to do, and the others are of course, busy with their own activity. But I met Luka in the hospital corridor earlier. Until now, I'm still wondering why she came here. But more importantly… I'm already in Len's room (in the hospital, I mean), sitting on the couch.

I lift up the keychain Miku gave me, then I turn it around. I see a small print I missed before—it says 'I like you' with a cute font.

Miku… Likes me? Or maybe she bought it because she knows I like oranges and she didn't see the text as well? Or she meant in a friendship way?

With a sigh, I put down the keychain back, thinking of thinking about it later and stuff it into my bag.

"Like." I mutter to myself.

"Love."

Failing to understand the meaning, I give up for the moment. I sigh again and I stand up from the couch to walk closer to the bed. But before that, I pull a nearby chair and place it next to the bed.

I sit on the chair and lean my head to my arms. Then I glance at Len who is still hasn't awake yet. "Miku said it's your birthday today." I say.

"So, happy birthday. I wonder how old you are right now." I continue. "Are you older than me? Or younger? Or are we in the same age? I didn't think of asking that question before."

I lean forward and pat his head, then start playing with his blond-colored hair. "You said that you will wake up soon, so the last time I meet you in the dream will be the last meeting inside the dream. But why you still haven't wake up until now?"

I pout a bit and I hold his right hand, then interwine it with mine. "I have said… that I will be here when you wake up. Now I'm here, right beside you. So, would you open your eyes? For me?"

He gives me no response. I suddenly feel like talking to myself since my words won't reach him, after all. I once again, sigh and look out through the window to see the bright sky of winter.

"The year's going to change soon. 4 more days." I say to myself. "I wonder what's waiting in the next year."

I look away from the window, back to Len. I instantly widen my eyes in surprise.

Because I just didn't expect to stare at another pair of blue eyes.

I don't look away—I keep on looking into his eyes. He does the same thing, looking at me without any other movement.

But somehow, no word comes out from my mouth. I don't know what to say—I don't even know how to react at this moment. A word manages to escape from my mouth, though it has no meaning. "Ah…"

Then suddenly, the door opened. I can react fast this time—I break my gaze and look to the door. As expected, it's Meiko. "Oh, Rin-chan's here?"

"M-Meiko-nee!" I exclaim a bit loud, preventing her from talking more. "Len is…"

Her face expression changes and she asks, "What's wrong?"

"He's…" I trail off, as she has already standing beside me. I don't think I have to explain anymore.

Meiko looks surprised at this point, though a thin smile is carved on her face. "He's awake, eh?"

"It seems to be like… that." I say, starting to get unconvinced.

Then Meiko leans forward to the bed and faces Len—I just realize that now he's looking at Meiko. "Len-kun," She says, "Can you hear me?"

He doesn't answer her, or giving any signs. He keeps on staring at her weakly—that makes me a bit worried, is he really awake? And is he okay?

Meiko makes a questioning face for a short moment before asking again. "Can you see me?" She waves her hand.

Silence greets her, and none of us move even a bit. At first I thought he won't response again, but later he nods slowly. Then he starts to look confused and panicked.

"It's okay, it's okay. Everything's okay." Meiko calms him down. "We will explain everything to you later."

Not saying anything, he rolls over to change his lying position a bit and closes his eyes, once again falling into a deep sleep. Then I look at Meiko with a concerned look.

Meiko seems to understand what I'm feeling right now, she says, "He's okay, just hasn't fully regained his consciousness yet—I doubt he would remember waking up like that."

"Oh, I see…" I say in relief.

"But, that," Meiko says with a worried look, "His head was damaged badly from the accident. We're afraid that he wouldn't remember anything from before. It was… expected already, but still…"

Suddenly it hits me—he probably won't remember anything. Why I didn't see this coming?

"It's okay, though. What just happened earlier is better than what I had expected." Meiko says with a satisfied smile. "He seems to remember his name. And well… Let's hope that he still remembers everything."

With a smile, I nod, "Right."

Meiko's face changes into a wondering one as her eyes travels to my right hand. "So, lovestruck girl, when are you going to release his hand?"

I just realize that I haven't released his hand until now. With my face being bright red, I quickly release my grip to his hand.

"W-what lovestruck girl?" I ask, a bit too loud.

"Rin-chan low down your voice, don't make loud noise, you might wake him up." Meiko says quickly, silently as she places her index finger on her lips, motioning me to keep silent.

I quickly cover my mouth with my hands, muttering an apology. "Sorry…"

"But you like him, right?" Meiko asks with an I-caught-you tone.

Feeling the heat on my face comes again, I look away. "Maybe I do." I say silently with a long pause before speaking.

"Nah." Meiko says—it sounds more like a sigh. "But if you do, and you still want to hold his hand, I'm not going to prevent you from doing so."

"E-eh…" I look at her, who is smiling at me. "Thank you…"

"Why are you thanking me? I didn't do anything." Meiko says with a fake annoyed voice. "But I really didn't think, a flustered Rin-chan is… different."

"H-how?" I ask, I don't know why but I'm still stuttering.

"You're stuttering." She says easily.

I gape, then I ask again, "O-only because of that?"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

* * *

><p>2 weeks.<p>

It has been 2 weeks since Len woke up and he has gotten better since then. It's a good thing that he actually still remembers everything, so everything should be back to normal for him.

He talks, with the same exact voice I used to hear inside my dream, but no word has been uttered from his mouth _to me_. These times, I only hear his voice when he's talking to Miku.

Of course, Miku has a bunch of stories she has to tell him. Things sure happened when you were unconscious for a long time. And he always listens to her, with a smile on his face. But Miku knows her limit, she will stop when he's about to fall asleep from tiredness in the middle of listening her.

If I was in Miku's place, sure I would be really happy and glad. Maybe I can't stop telling him every good thing that had happened.

And this is what is happening in this moment. Miku and Len are chatting happily, endlessly on the bed, while I'm looking at them from the couch, feeling their happiness as well.

Unlike the previous times, this time I actually catch him looking at me several times. I wonder why.

Right after that, Miku pauses from talking, and raises her eyebrow in wonder. Seems like she's trying to recall something. Then she stands up from the chair she has been sitting on.

"Miku… What's wrong? Where are you going?" Len asks after that.

"I have to do a little… something." She says as she fiddles with her long hair. "I'll come back soon." Then she hurriedly exits the room without any other words.

And that left him with me. The room falls into an awkward silence for a moment.

I look away, anywhere but Len—I don't want to make an eye contact right now—since he probably will look at me.

And just like what I have thought. When I _accidentally_ look at him, he looks back at me. Finally catching my eyes, he asks in curiousity.

"Are you Kagamine Rin?"

He says one question that is enough to shatter all the hopes inside of me. Of course, the fact that he still remembers everything in the real world doesn't make him remember about the dream as well. And this is also means, he doesn't remember me.

But I answer him with a smile. "Yes, I am."

"So… we have the same surname, eh?" He says.

"I… I guess so." I reply.

"It's just… Miku talks a lot about you, and from what I've heard from her, you're a really nice person…" He said, and I remember it clearly that he had said something similar to that before. "And then I noticed that you're always sitting on that couch whenever Miku and I are having a talk. So I guess… you must be her, the person who Miku talks about."

So, she must have told him about me.

"And Rin…" He says and then pauses. "It's okay for me to call you Rin, right?"

"Of course it's okay." I smile. I don't know why, I feel my chest getting hurts. Guess this is the feeling when a person you love doesn't remember anything about you.

"Thank you." He says shortly.

Of course I didn't see this coming, so I ask him. "…What are you thanking me for?"

He looks at me—seems like he's hesitating whether to answer or not. But then, he says. "For being there."

"Being where? And why?" I get completely clueless about this.

"I mean…" He pauses. "You were there when I woke up. Thank you very much for being there, beside me."

My eyes widen a bit. So he does remember that I was there at that time. It fascinates me that he manages to remember that.

I wonder, does he remember (or know) that I was holding his hand? If he does, it must be really embarrassing.

"Thank you, for fulfilling the promise you made. I'm happy that you did, Rin." He smiles.

I look at him, processing what he had said. Doesn't that mean that he—

He looks at me with a confused-concerned face. "…Rin, the promise… in the dream?"

My eyes widen in realization. He remembers.

He remembers about the dream, about the promise I made.

He remembers…

He looks away with his head lowered, "…No? So it was just a 'dream', after a—"

I stand up from the couch, walking in fast pace, then leap to the bed, where he's sitting right now. I hug him as tight as I can. Tears start to fall from my eyes, yet I feel really happy and glad that he remembers. "I-I thought you don't remember about the dream. I thought you don't remember about me…" I say between sobs. "The way you talked to me sounds like you don't even recognize me…"

"Sorry about that, Rin. The dream… is too vivid that I thought it's not a dream before. But from the illogicality, I changed my mind, I started to think that it was indeed, a dream. Then I found myself waking up here… Means that it was really a dream, right?" He pauses. "Then, because it's just a dream, I think things that happened in the dream weren't true. That's why I ask you."

"You made me misunderstood, you made me disappointed. But at the end, you actually say that you know me, remember me." I say. "So, thank you… for remembering everything, Len. Thank you very much!"

"R-Rin?" I hear him calling my name in a worried tone. "Don't cry…" He pleads.

But crying is not a thing that can be stopped easily. Tears of happiness keep on flowing from my eyes. I don't release the hug, either.

Then finally, I can feel him hugging me back. "No, take back my words. You can cry if you want to, Rin…"

* * *

><p>~~Short! Not even a line break is here...<p>

Thank you for reading and supporting by adding this story to favorites and of course, leaving reviews! I'm happy~

RPR-san: Yeah, I'll try my best to continue until the end! "If you don't end it, why did you upload a story in the first place?" is my thought whenever a story is discontinued D: Thank you for the review! You're fast~

luthor112-san and LunaLapis-san: Thank you for the review! What do you think about this one? Ehehe~

Halios Mililios-san: If he went back to coma... Well, thank you for the review!

This is the 24th chapter, you know what's next → I won't update until chapter 30 is finished. But after re-reading this, actually I can put the end right now in this chapter... But then, what about Miku? She hasn't confessed to Rin *shot*

So, bye for now. And thank you again.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

* * *

><p>"Hm? Since when the two of you got close?"<p>

Hearing Miku's voice that suddenly interrupts our conversation, I stop talking in instance and look at her. I think of what should I say. I just can't say, "Oh, actually we've been friends for a while, you're the one who don't know about it yet~"

Actually that sounds a bit—I mean, _a lot_—mean. I won't speak with that way to her, of course.

"Some days ago, when you left the room and all left was Rin… chan and I. It's awkward if you were left in a room with someone you don't know, so we decided to… introduce ourself and have some talk." Len says since I don't give her a reply.

"Oh, I see." Miku says with a smile as she takes a seat on the couch. "I've thought that you'll get along together. That's nice."

"Y-yes, of course it's nice, Miku-chan." I say awkwardly. "To know someone else, to befriend someone else, it always been a nice thing for me."

"Yeah, same with me." Len adds.

"Anyway, talking about friends…" Miku says and she takes something from her pocket, then gives it to Len. "Just see how worried everyone is."

He picks the object up. "A phone?"

"_Your_ phone." She corrects. "A bit outdated, actually. People prefer using smartphones nowadays."

"Well, I haven't changed my phone since three years ago." He says.

She gives him a look, "Five years, actually. That's not a problem, you can always buy a new one. Now read it."

"Okay if you say so…" He opens the phone carefully and looks at the screen. Then he widens his eyes, saying, "Whoa?"

I get curious and approach him, trying to take a look at the phone as well. My hand quickly covers my mouth. "Oh my…" What's being displayed on the screen simply makes me fascinated.

"You have 1704 unread message and 203 missed calls"

Len stares at the screen before commenting, "These are definitely spams."

"Nooo I bet those aren't spams!" Miku protests. "What about the calls?"

He doesn't reply her, as he proceeds to open the messages. While doing that, he doesn't say anything. After some minutes, however, he smiles sadly.

"Miku…" He says with a low voice. "You never told me… about what happened at that time."

Miku looks away from the phone Len is holding, and stare at something else. "You don't remember? Anything?"

"I wouldn't be asking if I did." He says.

"Then, what is the last thing you remember?" Miku asks cautiously.

He thinks for a moment, then he replies. "When we were going to graduate from junior high… A day before the graduation, you asked me to go with you to your old house. You were going to take something you forgot… if I'm not mistaken."

Miku looks back at him, "You're not mistaken. I was planning on taking the box of accessories my parents left, you went with me to my old, empty house. And apparently that house is old enough to collapse."

"…Really?" He asks in disbelief.

"Indeed, it's true." She nods and closes her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she continues. "I managed to survive, but…" She trails off and doesn't continue.

And when I look at her, she's crying soundlessly. I quickly get worried about her. "M-Miku-chan, are you okay?"

She doesn't answer—she continues on sniffling while trying to wipe her tears away. Failing to stop her tears, she ends up covering her face with her palms.

But then, she stands up and runs away from the room without saying anything. Len quickly calls out to her, and is about to chase her. "Miku—!"

"It's okay, I'll go get her." I quickly say before dashing out from the room to find Miku.

I wonder what's wrong with her…?

* * *

><p>On my way, I managed to see many different people—including those ones with wheelchairs, those ones with IVs inserted into their arms, those ones who don't look really well.<p>

I feel really glad for being healthy, so I don't need to be inside this hospital—hospitals always smell like medicines—and I have no limit in doing things.

Aside from that, I manage to find Miku at the little park outside the main building. She's sitting on the bench while looking at a bird that is drinking on the small water fountain.

She doesn't seem to notice me, but I sit beside her, and look around the park. "It's fresh in here." I comment.

She looks at me as she hears my voice. "…Rin-chan." She says silently.

"Are you okay, Miku-chan? Why did you suddenly run away like that?" I ask her. "We were worried."

She looks away. "Sorry."

I move closer to her. "Is there something wrong? It's okay, just tell me."

She sighs and lowers her head, making her eyes get covered by her bangs. "I got reminded of it. The accident."

I raise my eyebrows. She didn't seem to be like this when she told me about the accident. Or maybe she hadn't told the whole thing.

"That time, I went to the room that used to be my parents' room to get the item. Meanwhile, Len was wandering around the house." She tells me.

* * *

><p><em>"Thank you for accompanying me, Len."<em>

_Len looked back at Miku after looking around the huge but empty house. "No problem. At least I can do something in exchange of everything you have done—"_

_"Stop Len, stop. I've heard those words enough from you." Miku said, stopping him. "No need to thank me for those things. How many times I have to remind you?"_

_He sighed and looked away, "I feel bad for making you have to take care of me. Then, I want to do something in change."_

_"You have done enough for me—like, teaching me how to draw and so…" She said as she started to walk away from her friend. "You don't really have to do anything else, Len."_

_He was going to retort back, but she added. "No buts."_

_"Well, that's… fine with me." He said, finally giving up. "But I'll do something in change sometime."_

_She smiled—she didn't need anything from him, actually. But she didn't know what else to say to argue with him—maybe 'giving up' as well was a good choice. "I'll be waiting, then." She said. "Oh, I'm going to my parents' room now." She informed._

_He nodded, though she probably wouldn't see him since she was looking at something else. "Okay. Anyway, Miku… This house really doesn't change at all, last time I went here was when we were in elementary school."_

_"Something _does_ change." She said and laughed lightly. "It's getting dirtier since no one's taking care of the house. Now I'm thinking of doing some cleanup."_

_"We can do it later—it's getting late, Miku." He said._

_"I know that—that's why I'm just going to retrieve the item, and we can go out from this dusty place as soon as possible." She said, now entering the room that used to be her parents' room. At least before they died years ago from an accident._

_Trying not to think about that, Miku started to look around the room. The item she was looking for wasn't that small, but wasn't that big either. But it was fancy enough to be recognized between those stacking random items in the room, as it stood out because of its shape and color._

_Feeling satisfied that she had found the item without having to try hard—it only took less than 10 minutes, Miku smiled to herself. She turned around and head to the door._

_"Len! I've found the box!" She informed using a louder voice—it wouldn't reach him if she didn't do that._

_"You actually managed to find it fast, that's nice." He commented from afar. She could barely hear his voice, but it was still clear enough for her to understand what he meant. "And Miku, I found something nice in here, maybe you would like to take a look?"_

_"What is it?" She asked back. She was ready to open the door and walk out to approach him._

_"Come here! You have to see it by y—"_

_Suddenly a loud, crumbling sound cut his words. Miku wouldn't be that surprised if it was just a sound, but the earth under her feet shakes a bit, making her became scared that something bad was going to happen. She closed her eyes shut and squatted down while covering her ears._

_After the noise died down, Miku cracked her eyes open slowly. She gasped after she looked at the scene in front of her._

_About half of her house _collapsed_ down. Only some parts of the house—including her parents' room—stood still. Tears began to fill her eyes, then it flowed out from her eyes. Even though like that, she decided to stand up and walk out from the room._

_She could see the ruined house better once she walked out from the room. Then, she heard a crack as soon as she went out. The sudden sound made her yelp and took a step back. Unluckily she tripped on something while doing that, and she fell down, hitting a shapeless ruin that used to be a wall._

_"How could this happen…?" While still being on the floor, she croaked out between her sobs. Just if someone was there with her, she wouldn't be that scared, being left alone in a house that was just ruined._

_Then she remembered someone who was supposed to be there._

_"Len?" She called out with a small voice. Thinking that he didn't hear that, she called again with a louder voice. "Len!"_

_Because she still hadn't got any answer, she started to feel worried. What if something bad happened to him, and made him unable to answer her?_

_Pushing that thought aside, she stood up once again, ignoring the pain on her knees. She just had to call him once more, with an even louder voice so he could hear her call._

_"Len! Where are you?" She called with her loudest voice, hoping for an answer. But no, she hadn't heard any answer after that._

_She started to think that something really bad had happened to him. She walked again, now in a faster speed. She searched around the house, but still hadn't seen anyone._

_No doubt, something _did_ happen to him. If nothing happened to him, Miku knew, he would answer her calls._

_She clutched her shirt. Her house was broken and her friend was missing. What did she have to do?_

* * *

><p>~~"Third person point of view!" was what I said (in my head) when I wrote this chapter. I like it better than first person, somehow. Don't ask why this story is in the first person, and it's going to be Rin until the end.<p>

It has been a month since the last time I updated, the longest 'break' ever. School was having breaks, and I usually write fanfic on school days... That's a bit strange.

6 reviews! Thank you so much, everyone! But I'm in a hurry now (I'm always in a hurry whenever I'm updating, ahahaha~), so thank you for RPR-san, LunaLapis-san, Miri-chan, luthor112-san, Mukuro234-san, and ChibiLove-san for reviewing! Sorry I have no time to reply right now!


	26. Chapter 26

~~I didn't think the 'Len didn't remember Rin' scene in chapter 24 would... work that well. But it did! Though I'm sure some of you had already guessed that... Then, who can guess the ending?

Here's review replies, from chapter 24 and the previous chapter!

RPR-san: Finally an update, heheh, and you gave me review so fast! Thank you for reviewing and reading!

LunaLapis-san: I still don't know where to put Miku's confession to Rin *laughs* actually I was going to rush the story but looks like I won't after reading your review. Thank you!

ChibiLove-san: Does seeing the update make you feel lucky? Aha— Sorry for the wait, and thank you!

Miri-chan: Thank you for liking this story! Thank you for the review! Thank y—*shot*

luthor112-san: This. Is the continuation. Thank you for the review (←in a somewhat serious voice)

Mukuro234-san: Thank you for the review!

It's a bit... awkward to read the review in the last chapter because I have no idea what's in the chapter. Fail! orz That chapter was written before chapter 21 was even uploaded and I didn't read it before updating, so... Erm, but I've read it now, so there's no problem.

And thank you for all the readers!

* * *

><p>Chapter 26<p>

* * *

><p><em>She sat alone on the waiting chairs in front of the operation room. Her head lowered down, making her turquoise-colored hair flows down and almost reaching the polished, while tiles of the hospital. Her face was completely covered by her bangs.<em>

_She clasped her hands altogether, her mouth moved, like muttering an inaudible prayer._

_A single drop of tears fell down to the floor, splashing—though no one would (or could) see it._

_As if hearing the splash, a nurse who was just passing by stopped and looked at her in concern. Of course, it was nothing new for the nurse—it was hospital after all—but seeing a 15-years old girl, sitting there all alone made her wanted to sit beside her and comfort her._

_The girl didn't move or say anything after the nurse took a seat beside her. Maybe she didn't notice her, or maybe she noticed her, but didn't want to say anything._

_In fact, the girl glanced at the nurse for a moment—but the nurse didn't notice this—before looking down again. She wasn't sure why the nurse sat beside her, but she could guess that the nurse was feeling sorry for her._

_She didn't know. Was the nurse supposed to be worried about her?_

_"Hey." The nurse greeted. But the girl's gaze remained still to the floor. The nurse had expected that, though._

_However, the girl stopped moving her mouth._

_"Everything's gonna be okay." The nurse assured the girl._

_"…Isn't that what you usually say to everyone who is waiting here?" The girl replied, her voice hoarse._

_The nurse was taken aback with the girl's question. Of course, it wasn't the first time or second time she said that line, she had said that often. But she didn't think the girl would point it out like that._

_Before the nurse had the chance to answer her, the girl lifted her head up a bit, offering a weak smile. "But thank you."_

_The nurse just nodded, then her eyes wondered to the girl's leg, which was wrapped by bandages. "Is your leg okay?" She asked._

_"It's not a problem." The girl said. "It doesn't matter now. Someone's suffering more than me."_

_The nurse didn't say anything after that. She continued to sit there with the girl in silence. Once or twice, she glanced at the girl. But the girl kept on looking down._

_"Mind to tell me what happened?" She asked—a question that made her want to clamp her mouth and keep it silent. She had no idea why she could ask something like that._

_The girl lifted her face up a bit. "He…" She trailed. "He wasn't…"_

_The nurse raised her eyebrows, unable to understand the meaning. She wasn't going to ask anything, though. She would wait for the girl to continue._

_"T-the house collapsed." She continued as she released a shaky breath. "I suvived but h-he… He got hurt badly."_

_And at this point, tears started to fall again from the girl's eyes. And she didn't continue, she just cried soundlessly._

_The nurse was clueless—she didn't know what else to do to comfort the girl so she would feel better. But before she could do anything, the door in front of them opened. The nurse looked up, and saw a doctor walking out from the room._

_He looked at the nurse confusedly, "Sakine-san, what are you—" But then, the girl who sat beside the nurse made him stop talking. "Never mind, then."_

_Knowing that the surgery had ended, the nurse looked back at the doctor worriedly, "How was it?"_

_He didn't say anything to the nurse. Instead, he looked at the girl and kneeled to her level. He tapped her shoulder carefully, and that made her look up to him slowly._

_"Hello there…" He greeted. "What's your name? How should I call you if I don't know your name, then?"_

_She seemed to hesitate to tell her name for a moment. But then she moved on and told her name in a small voice almost no one could hear. "Hatsune… Miku."_

_With a little smile, he said, "Hatsune-san, isn't it?" Without waiting for the girl to answer him, he continued. "So, Hatsune-san… First, I'm really sorry about the accident."_

_The girl, known as Miku, just nodded slowly. Her head didn't raise at all._

_"Then, are you ready to let him go?"_

_Miku felt her heart stopped beating for a moment as she heard that. Her breath stuck—it couldn't be released._

_She got up and walked forward to the room, pushing the doctor in result. The doctor didn't say anything—somehow, he could understand her. But he didn't stay silent just like that. He looked at Miku who was walking away, then he spoke, "Hatsune-san? Your friend's still alive."_

_Miku stopped walking. "Then why did you say something like that?" She asked with a stern voice._

_There was a short pause, until the doctor replied. "He's okay _for now_, but I'm afraid he won't be able to stay like that any longer."_

_Silence filled the air once more, then a click of shoes hitting the floor interrupted it. Miku turned her head, making her long hair swish, and faced the doctor with a somehow sad look._

_"I don't think I'm ready to lose the closest person I've ever had in my life."_

* * *

><p>"Miku-chan…" I say after she finished telling her story to me. Actually I never have thought it before that the actual scene was like that, but then, I never experienced something like that before, after all.<p>

I try to understand her feeling, but it's impossible unless the same thing had happened to me. And the case isn't like that right now—I'm sitting here merely as a listener who just listens to the story she tells, and nothing else.

But no, I don't want to _understand_ her fully like that. Hearing her story is more that enough, I don't even want to imagine if something like that happened to me—maybe I am selfish, but the thought of _almost_ losing someone precious to you already makes me scared.

Scared that something like that might happen to me.

"Mi-Miku-chan, sorry, you have to tell everything to me like that…" I say, and I can tell my voice sounds hoarse right now.

Then, I feel someone's hand stroking my cheeks softly. Getting startled with the sudden touch, I look at Miku since she's the closest person to me at the moment. She's now looking at me with tears trickling down her cheeks, but her face shows concern.

And I was right, she's the one who touched (still touching, actually) my cheek. With a smile between her crying face, she says, "You don't need to cry as well, Rin-chan. It's something… only me need to know and remember, you don't have to feel my pain, Rin-chan."

I quickly wipe my tears away with one hand. "But you can't keep it up to yourself—isn't that what you have done for almost 2 years?"

Miku looks at me with a confused face, then she breaks the gaze and stares at the fountain again in change. "You're right about that." She says.

"But, hey." I say. "Isn't it better to erase those bad memories from our mind? With that we can move on."

Miku nods. "I still have to tell Len about that, though. It's… it's okay, everything will be forgotten eventually after that."

The conversation ends. I wait for a minute to pass, then I stand up from the bench. "We should get back to him, he must be really worried about you, Miku-chan." I say.

Following my action, she stands up while wiping the tears that are still making her cheeks wet. "Yeah, let's go."


	27. Chapter 27

~~I can't stop listening to doriko's Ame ka Yume... Okay that's random. I just didn't listen to his songs lately, so I... kind of miss it.

Uh, I haven't finished the 31st chapter... Whatever. Thank you for the reviews, RPR-san, luthor112-san and LunaLapis-san~

* * *

><p>Chapter 27<p>

* * *

><p>Miku and I walk back to the room without making any conversation—Miku is being really silent right now. I wonder, is she still thinking about that? But of course, I can't ask her that.<p>

When we arrive in front of the room, Miku stops walking. I look back at her who is now standing behind me. Then she asks quietly, "Is Len going to be mad because I ran away like that?"

"I think…" I trail off, taking time to think. "I don't think so."

No, he won't get mad. But maybe he feels worried that she had run away without saying anything like that.

After taking a deep breath, Miku steps forward and turns the doorknob. "Okay, here we come."

She opens the door slowly—it's a good thing that it doesn't make any cracking noise—and peeks inside. I follow behind her.

There, in the room, Len was talking to Kaito (and I have no idea when he came). But seems like our arrival stops them momentarily. Len is the one who reacts first by saying, "Miku! Where have you been?"

Miku looks startled with the sudden question, "No, I was just—"

Then Len gets up from the bed and walks to Miku. He holds her hand while saying, "…you made me worried, Miku."

Miku looks down with a guilty look. "Sorry then, I didn't mean to do that. Just…"

"But you're okay, right?" He asks her.

"Uh, yeah. I'm just fine, thank you for worrying about me." Miku says. "…What about you? Are you okay with standing too long like this?"

He sighs after hearing her question. "I'm fine… And it's not _that_ long, Miku."

"Well, you're right. But isn't it better if you get back to the bed and sit like a good kid?" She says with a playful smirk on her face.

He grins, "Well, if that is what Hatsune-sama wants~"

She hits his shoulder while giggling. "Just go back and don't say anything else, Len."

Ah, they look so happy together. I just can't stop smiling seeing them like that. But why do I feel strange? There's a slight disappointment in my heart—I wonder what that is. Because I can't be jealous—why would I feel jealous anyway? There's nothing wrong with Miku and Len being happy because of each other…

But now I think I _do_ feel jealous. No, I'm not supposed to feel like this—I'm supposed to be happy that they're happy.

What a stupid selfish feeling…

"Rin-chan, what's wrong? You're kind of looking down…" Miku's voice snaps me out from my thought. Then I see her looking at me with concern.

"No, nothing. I don't feel down." I say with a reassuring smile.

"Really… You can tell me anything if you're having a problem, Rin-chan." She says.

"Eh, I'm not having any problem, Miku-chan." I say, trying to look away from her. While doing so, I accidentally catch Len looking at us (or me?). He doesn't look away when I look at him, so we are looking into each other for a moment.

He sighs and finally looks away from me, but I'm still looking at him. I wonder what's wrong because he looks sad there. But then, Kaito probably notices the same thing and asks, "Is something wrong?"

Len shakes his head while answering his question, "Nothing."

I don't know why, but there's this awkward silence after Len said that. It got answered when Miku asks in an annoyed tone. "What are you doing here, Kaito-kun?"

Kaito looks surprised with the sudden question—actually the question itself has made him surprised—and he answers her with a shocked face. "Can't I visit my friend who is sick?"

"For your information, I'm not sick." Len adds.

"And we haven't seen each other for a long time, I just want to have some talk." Kaito says, ignoring Len completely. "I just don't get it why you hate me so much… Miku-chan."

Miku crosses her arms. "I don't hate you. I just find you annoying. Like, why do we have to be in this room together?"

"It's not like we're the only ones in this room!" Kaito replies.

They continue bickering at each other, like it has no end. At first, it brings smile to my face. But then that smile cracks into a giggle, and turns into a laughter. And even though I'm sure that my laugher can be heard by them, they still haven't stop.

"It won't end, huh…?" I hear Len comments. "It's like they're in their own world where no one else's there."

Hearing that makes me think—there's a possibility that Miku likes Kaito. Maybe she really does? After all, she acts differently... Or maybe she always acts like that around him?

I walk to the bed and sit on it. "Did they always argue at each other like that before?" I ask Len.

"Never." He says almost immediately. "Kaito said that at first he was confused with her behavior as well… She just changed drastically. But after he said that she acts like that after his visit to her house, I think she's just over excited."

"Over excited?" I ask.

"Yeah, over excited." He nods. "Just imagine, you didn't get in touch with your friends for years. And suddenly one of them visits your house. Wouldn't you get happy?"

"Ah, I see." I nod in understanding.

"And because you didn't expect it at all, you don't know how to react." He continues. "And because she had _accidentally_ acted like that, she keeps doing that… That's what I think."

I smile, "You really care about her, hm?"

He gets surprised with my words, then he looks away with a slight blush on his face. "Of course I do…"

But then, like realizing something, he turns his head to me. "Rin… I still don't understand." He says.

"About what?" I ask.

He glances at Miku and Kaito—who still haven't stopped—and says, "I'll tell you later."

Of course, that makes me think about what he's going to ask. But he said that he will tell me later, so I just have to wait. "Okay." I say while nodding.

* * *

><p>Len said he wants ho have a walk around, so here we are, walking together in this huge building. Miku and Kaito are still in the room—seems like they don't mind if we go out for a while.<p>

While walking, I can't help but to glance at him in every 20 seconds. At first he doesn't seem to care, but then he looks at me confusedly while asking, "…What's wrong, Rin?"

"Nothing." I say immediately."But is it okay for you to have a walk like this? I thought you were supposed to stay in the room. I am just worried that something might happen to you…"

He sighs. "Thank you, but… can you stop treating me as if I were sick?"

I didn't realize that I was doing that—I was just worried. "Sorry I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay—it's just I never like being treated like that, sorry."

But if he really has been getting sick often for the past years, people must got worried and do that—treating him differently. And he doesn't like it.

We stop walking in front of a park. This one is different from the one Miku and I visited earlier—I wonder how many parks are in this hospital.

"A park—that's nice." He says shortly while smiling. It doesn't seem like he knew about this park's existence before. "Maybe we can find a place to sit and continue the conversation."

I think for a moment before replying. "Sure, let's go."


	28. Chapter 28

~~No progress, I'm still at the beginning of the 31st chapter!

Thank you very much for those who have reviewed, RPR-san, Miri-chan, ChibiLove-san, luthor112-san and Mukuro234-san~ And thank you for every one who reads!

* * *

><p>Chapter 28<p>

* * *

><p>It wasn't hard at all to find a place to sit, because the bench is almost everywhere. We choose a random bench we think 'is good' and sit there while looking around the park.<p>

"Is it an indoor park?" Len asks while looking up. I look up as well and find out that there's a roof in fact.

"Seems to be like that." I say. "It's all warm and nice in here, when actually it's snowing outside—no, I didn't mean I don't like the winter but…"

"Ah right, it's snowing the last time I looked at the window." He says. "Somehow I forgot about that when I entered this place. I didn't expect that it would be this warm in here."

We don't know what else to say, and being left with silence after that. It's only between the two of us—the park itself isn't 'silent' at all, sounds of children speaking and laughing can be heard clearly.

"I was talking about Miku—something I don't understand yet." He says suddenly. Right, he said he will tell me later. "I remember you saying that your friend is someone who became antisocial after her friend's death, and then you tried to get her out from that. Then later, you said it's Miku who you're talking about… It's not something I can easily believe, Rin. Miku just… doesn't seem to be that kind of person."

"I thought about the same thing." I say. "You told me about your friend's personality. Later I realize it was Miku who you were talking about after I found out that you're her best friend. But the person you were talking about is much different than the Miku I knew, so it was quite unbelievable."

I continue. "But then, I thought… The accident happened, you were on the verge of death… It must be hard for her, so she decided not to become close with anyone else—"

"So she would be 'okay' if I died." He cuts me by saying that. "That's the main reason, right? It's my fault."

"…No, it's not your fault—it's like you want something like that to happen." I say.

He smiles. "A little part of me still feels guilty because of it. But I will always become a burden for her after all."

* * *

><p>"Meiko-nee got pissed off about our bickering, and asked us to shut up or she will kick us out." Miku ends her story quietly.<p>

"Ah, it's a hospital after all, it needs to be peaceful and calm." I let out a small giggle.

Miku blushes and looks away from embarrassment. "But once I argue with him, all I want to do is to continue it. Actually it's pretty amusing." She smiles. "And hey, there's good news. Len's going to be discharged soon~"

"Oh, really?" I ask, sounding excited. "That's great! And I can tell you're happy about that."

"O-of course I am!" Miku says excitedly. "Finally I won't be all alone in the house, and, um, well… Somehow I miss those moments with him, like a family."

"If you want a companion, why didn't you just call me? I will come to your house gladly." I say with a playful smile on my face.

Her reaction is unexpected. At first she makes a confused mixed with surprised face, then she looks away from me.

"It's not like I'm declining the offer, but wh-what?" She asks. "Are you sure about that?"

I nod. "Why not? You're my friend, after all."

I don't know what the reason is, but she looks down. "Ah, you're right."

Suddenly I get reminded about the lie she made. I don't want to force her to tell who she likes, but the thing I want to know is why she lied instead of telling the truth.

"Miku-chan." I start. "You said before, that the one you love was Len… kun." I say slowly, becoming really careful with my words. "Then you said, that you only love him as your brother. If you feel like that towards him from the beginning, why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

Miku's face darkens. "So you're asking, why did I lie?"

The atmosphere around the two of us becomes tenser. "Yeah. Why did you have to lie to me."

Surprisingly, Miku facepalms after that. "If you're thinking that I was lying, then sorry, I didn't mean to tell a lie. After I think about it, my words did sound suspicious and sounded like I was lying." She says. "I wasn't lying—it's more to hide the truth… because the one I truly love is someone I'm not supposed to love."

Is she talking about somekind of forbidden love?

"At first I was confused about my own feeling—I just realized it later. It's different than the feeling I have for Len, who I always 'love' as a brother. That's why…" She says. "I wonder why love is so complicating."

"Oh, I see…" I say silently.

I've thought it from long time ago, love is complicated, hard, and unexpected—something I don't want to be involved in.

I wonder why…

"Rin-chan, you don't need to think about it too much." Miku suddenly says. "As long as you enjoy everything, including the hard moments, everything will be okay, or even better. Including love—you don't really need to see it as something hard, or painful."

I really didn't think that she would understand me this much, when I haven't said much about my thoughts.

"Right, it will be oka—"

My words are cut off when I see a figure that looks like Luka, leaning on the wall in the hallway. I'm thinking of greeting her, but we've walked past her.

"What is it, Rin-chan?" Miku asks as she looks at me confusedly.

"I saw someone that looks like Luka-chan just now. She's leaning on the wall and…" I trail off and look back.

But I don't see anyone.

* * *

><p>After going inside the house, I go to my room to put my bag on my desk. I really have to put and arrange my belongings neatly, since no one's going to tidy them up for me, of course. And I'm not really fond of messiness. What do you expect from a girl, anyway?<p>

After I put my bag on its designated place, I plop myself onto my bed. Relaxing myself, I close my eyes and enjoy the moment—today seems to be a long day, especially in the hospital. Though it was tiring, I can call it as a fun day.

Still lying on my bed, I look around my room. My desk—it's white with some orange-colored. Things like books, desklamp, pencils are placed on its usual place, so I will see the same-looking desk almost everyday. Currently, this foreign object is put on my desk—the mug I bought for Christmas present—and makes the desk looking a bit different.

Christmas has passed, but I haven't given the present I bought for Len. I still have to give him the mug as soon as possible, though. Somehow, I have to.

I look at the calendar to see how many weeks has passed, but something more important catches my eyes right after I glance at the calendar.

The exams are coming.


	29. Chapter 29

~~I disappeared from the earth.

RPR-san, thank you for the review... You always review my story lately, thank you~ And for the others (readers), thank you for reading!

This chapter is somewhat short, I think. And slow-paced *nods* Right, enjoy.

* * *

><p>Chapter 29<p>

* * *

><p>I'm not a hundred percent sure that I'll pass the exam easily, so the only option I have to choose is to study.<p>

Usually it isn't as hard as this, but since I saw that dream and met Len, I'm unable to focus on my study—this is definitely not good.

"You're not the only one, Rin-chan. Something's on my mind lately, and it's distracting me." Miku say when I ask her about the exam.

"Something distracts your mind? What is it?" I ask her.

"It's…" She says before looking away while blushing. "It's nothing. A-anyways, why don't we… study together in the library this weekend?" She blurted out quickly.

I tilted my head in confusion, thinking why she had to look away. "Um, you're right, Miku-chan. So… this Saturday?"

"Th-that's great!" Miku exclaimed happily. "I don't have anything to do this Saturday. Let's meet up in front of the library around noon!"

I have no idea what makes her really happy about this, but as long as she's happy, I think it's great.

I nod, "Yeah!"

* * *

><p>The knocking on the door wakes me up from my dreamless sleep. Blinking and rubbing my eyes, I sit up and look at the door where my mother is standing.<p>

"So you hadn't waked up…" She says with an apologetic smile. "Actually I was going to ask for your help, never mind, though. Sorry for waking you up, then, Rin."

"You don't need to apologize, mother. I'm okay with waking up." I say. "What can I help…?"

"Oh, I'm glad that I have a nice daughter~ I'm so lucky~" She squeals happily. "I'm going to make lunch and I think your help would mean a lot for me, Rin."

Hearing the 'lunch' word, I widen my eyes. "What… time is it?" I ask slowly.

"Hm? 11.30, around that time, I guess." She says and she looks out from the room to look at the clock. "Oh, I was right."

"I really didn't think that I would wake up this late…!" I say as I jump from my bed—this is my first time doing it—and storm out to the bathroom, leaving my mother confused.

"What's wrong, Rin? Do you have something to do?" I hear her asking me.

Glancing at her from the bathroom, I answer. "Right! I'm going to meet up with Miku in the library at noon!"

She face-palms, probably from my action. "You should've set the alarm to wake you up before you go to sleep." She says calmly and she starts to walk away from my room, sighing. "I guess I have to prepare the lunch by myself, after all~"

"Sorry mother—!"

* * *

><p>I don't understand why I woke up really late this morning. Usually I can wake up by my own around 8 am (at weekends), so I thought the alarm wouldn't be needed. Maybe this is a punishment for overestimating myself.<p>

It's almost noon, and I am running to the library in fast pace. Luckily the road isn't too crowdy, so I don't need to run through a mass of people. I don't stop running until I reach a road where the library is supposed to be.

Honestly I feel a bit lost, since I haven't visited the library for years. The used-to-be-empty road to the library is now filled with stalls, selling many different things, including food.

My eyes catch a stall that's selling ice cream, and it's pretty crowded. Now I think about it—the weather is good today, as spring is nearing. People must have missed ice cream _a lot_ after the cold winter with no ice cream—that doesn't mean no one's selling ice cream in the winter, but who wants to buy it?

The first and the only person that appears in my mind is Kaito.

Pushing the Kaito thought aside, I have to admit that I'm also one of them—people who want to have some ice cream. I look at the crowded stall—though it's crowded, it's still possible for me to be able to buy the ice cream.

I look inside my bag to check my money, just to realize that I forgot to bring _any_ money. So goodbye ice cream, I'm going to go straight to the library right now.

"Rin-chan!" Someone taps my shoulder, and it startles me. I immediately turn my head, and find Miku waving her hand happily with a cone of ice cream in her other hand. "Looks like I came a little bit too early, so I stopped to buy ice cream." She pauses and licks her ice cream. Then she exclaims happily, "This tastes nice!"

"Actually I was planning on getting one as well. But I forgot to bring my money." I laugh sheepishly.

Her face changes into a surprised one. "Really? You must be in a hurry…"

"Um, yeah, I woke up late. Pretty weird, I think." I say straight-forwardly. "So I ran all the way here."

"Eh? You really didn't have to do that! Of course we will wait for you—we're just going to study together, not going to an important meeting!" Miku says with a huge smile on her face.

"But then I'll feel guilty for making you wait…" I trail off as I realize that Miku said 'we will wait' instead of 'I will wait'. Does she have someone else with her?

"Oh, I see you've met her already, Miku. That's great because I'm back with two cones of ice cream!" Another voice—a male voice—comes from Miku's back.

Miku rolls her eyes. "Don't say that with a cheery voice like that—you're starting to sound like Kaito-kun."

He ignores her and proceeds. "Ah, this one is for you, Rin." Still standing behind Miku, Len extends his right hand, offering me the ice cream. "Miku thinks it's better if we buy one for you as well."

"Sure I did, but you really didn't need to tell her that, Len." Miku says, pouting. At the same time I take the ice cream from his hand slowly and carefully.

…And realizing something I should have realized earlier. I tear my gaze away from the ice cream I've been looking at and look at Len—who is now resting his head on Miku's left shoulder without moving away from his standing position, somehow—with wide eyes.

"You've been discharged from the hospital?" I ask disbelievingly—I still not believing the fact that he's here. I haven't seen him for a while, after all. And this time, he's wearing casual clothing—something I have never seen before. It suits him better, actually.

"The ice will melt if you don't eat it, just for your information." He says, not answering my question at first. I immediately take a huge bite after I hear that. "And no, I haven't." He adds.

I blink twice while trying to swallow the ice cream I have inside my mouth. "Then why are you here?" I ask.

"It's okay, I'm allowed to." He says and licks the ice cream. "I feel completely fine after all."

"Um, I think people are starting to look at us." Miku suddenly says, blushing a bit. "Len, your position suggests… that you're hugging me or… what."

She's saying the truth—it looks like he's hugging her whenever he's going to bring the ice cream to his mouth. He's standing right behind her, so the only way to eat it is having his arm 'circled' around Miku. And it's also true that people are looking at their way, whispering, "A cute couple~" or something similar. I smile hearing the comments people make. If I was on their position, I would say the same thing.

But it's not possible—I'm feeling _a little bit jealous_. Then, I'm starting to dislike myself for having this kind of feeling towards them—towards Miku, the one who Len loves.

I never have thought it would turn out to be like this.

Len pouts and steps back, then continues eating the ice cream without saying anything. Then Miku pats his head with a huge smile on her face. "Now that's a good brother~"

I hear a sigh from my back. "Oh, they're siblings? How disappointing…" I guess it must be the person who commented earlier.

Meanwhile I'm just watching, thinking how messed up this whole situation is. Until Miku's call snaps me out from my thought. "Rin-chan, let's go now!"

"U-um, right!"


	30. Chapter 30

~~Thirtieth chapter. I... didn't expect this story would be this long (is this considered to be long?) so... I won't update until chapter 36th is finished. Ha, I'm working on the 32nd, slow pace, slow pace.

The pace is slow. I said it again...

Hm, thank you for RPR-san and LunaLapis-san and Mukuro234-san for reviewing. I want to reply (I'm actually not in a hurry right now!) but I don't know what to say, so... Thank you for the reviews~

And thank you for all the readers... I seem to be repeating that again and again—it's... is it okay?

* * *

><p>Chapter 30<p>

* * *

><p>Pencil scratching, flipping pages, and foot-tapping are filling the soundless library softly with their small voice. I shift a bit on my seat, adding another noise as I look at my book, filling my brain with letters and numbers.<p>

I start to play around with my mechanical pencil as my eyebrows knit in confusion. I start to get lost with the numbers written in my book—I have no idea what those mean. I question myself—where have I been when the teacher was explaining? Does that mean I always attend the class but my mind wanders somewhere else?

I glance at Miku who's sitting across me with a serious look on her face, continuously scribbling her notebook. Looks like she has no problem with studying, so maybe she knows what this means.

I call her. "Miku-chan, can I ask you someth—"

"Whoa!" Miku exclaims, but still keeping her voice low by covering her mouth with her hand. Her voice still could be heard from about 20 meters, I think.

Len looks up from the book he has been reading silently and gives Miku a weird stare. "Miku… Seriously, _what_?" He asks in annoyance.

She ignored him and quickly turns the page of her notebook and asks back. "W-what is it, R-Rin-chan?"

And that's when it finally hits me—she wasn't studying, she was _drawing_. And as if she had read my mind, she suddenly says, "I just started drawing five minutes ago!"

I let out a nervous laugh. "It's okay, I'm not having any problem with that. Actually I want to ask you something about the lesson…"

"The lesson?" She repeats me. I nod and she looks down to her notebook. "I stopped studying for a while because I'm stuck at this—" she points to her book, showing a certain part of it.

I stare at it for a few second, then I shake my head. "I was going to ask you about that, I guess we're stuck at the same problem…"

Miku starts to fiddle with her hair. "Well, what should we do now…? Maybe we have to re-read the textbooks?"

"Oh, right." I nod in agreement as I try to grab my textbook which is actually out of reach.

"Here." Len says, giving me the book.

"A-ah, thanks."

* * *

><p>I thought we will understand the problem (in this case, a mathematical problem inside a second grader's notebook) after we read the textbook, but it turns that the textbook is actually more confusing than the note we have taken in the class.<p>

I can see Miku biting her lip as she gripped her pencil harder. Not being pessimistic, but I am sure it doesn't go well for her. After a while, she releases the pencil from her grip, and letting it fall to the hard table. Then she slumps to the table.

"No good." She mutters. "At this rate, we will never understand this."

"Wait, this is a library after all." I say to her as I stand up. "There might be some books that could help us."

I walk away from the desk and begin to search for some books. But I stop midway. I think I need some help from the librarian. How am I supposed to find _some_ books between _millions_ of books inside this library?

When we entered the library, I think I saw the librarians near the entrance door. I barely have moved from my standing place when someone crashes into me, making both of us fall to the cold floor.

"Ah, I'm really _really_ sorry…" The person says. But I recognize that voice as Luka's voice.

I take a better look on the person—pale pink hair that reaches her waist, this is definitely Luka. "Ah, Luka-chan!"

She turns her head to me. "Oh, Rin-chan? Looks like I crashed into you… again. Uwaaah, I feel even more guilty right now…" She says and stands up, then proceeds to help me to get up as well. "I wonder why I have to be really incautious."

I shake my head. "Nah, it's okay Luka-chan. Anyway… what are you doing here?"

"Me?" She raises her eyebrows. "I'm studying for the exams—I was going to turn these books, then I crashed to you." She looks down to the scattered books on the floor which I didn't notice before.

Mathematics books.

"Whoa, where did you get those books? I was searching for them!" I say. "I was studying with Miku-chan as well, but we're stuck at one problem so I thought the books will _probably_ help us."

"Um, stuck at one problem?" She asks slowly. "I understand the whole thing pretty well, maybe I could help you two?"

I look at her with my eyes wide, then say, "Um, yes please…?"

* * *

><p>Going back to the desk where the others are waiting, I pull Luka along with me. As soon as I see the teal and blonde hair, I announce, "Look, Luka-chan's here and she said she can help us!"<p>

"It's nice to meet you here, Luka-chan!" Miku exclaims happily, leaving her drawing (perhaps she was drawing while I went away) and looks at Luka with excitement. "Were you studying here as well?"

Luka smiles back at her. "It's nice to meet you here as well, Miku-chan. Yes, I was studying." She pauses. "Rin-chan said that you need some of my help? I'll gladly help you." She giggles.

I walk to the desk and sat back on the chair. As Luka takes a seat beside me, Miku continues, "Well, Rin-chan and I just happen to stuck at the same problem. It can't be helped. And this person is just being useless here." She taps Len's shoulder lightly—he doesn't say anything, though.

But he's staring at Luka with a serious look. She catches him staring at her, and she stares back at him.

Breaking the awkward staring moment between the two of them, Miku speaks. "Um, right. Luka-chan, this is Kagamine Len… And Len, this is Megurine Luka." She awkwardly says.

The almost-glare stare she's giving to him melts into a warm smile. "Nice to meet you, Kagamine-kun."

"It's… nice to meet you as well, Megurine-san." He replies as he turns his gaze down to the table, continuing reading as nothing had happened.

Luka does the same thing, acting as nothing happens by saying, "Now, let's start studying, I don't think it's good to waste the time."

* * *

><p>Now a smile curls up on my face, feeling satisfied with my work on the problem. The way Luka explains the lesson is really easy to understand—actually everything is easy when you think it's easy, but somehow the previous problem was just… I don't even understand why I couldn't understand such problem before. A mistake in my mindset, perhaps?<p>

"Now I get it, Luka-chan. Thank you very much for helping us~" I thank her.

"Nah, no problem—I'm happy to be able to help you guys." She says as she puts her books back into her bag.

"Let's see, it's 3 pm right now." Miku says. "Maybe we should head home before it's getting late—"

"Karaoke." Len cuts her.

She looks at him quizically. "What…?"

"Let's go to the karaoke." He repeats, nodding. "Um, don't you want to have some refreshment after studying those things?"

Still giving the same look, Miku replies, "Sure, it's a great idea, but…"

"Then let's go! Rin wanna go as well, right?" He says enthusiastically. "And Megurine-san too, do you want to join us? Come on, it will be fun~"

Luka smiles. "Sure, I have nothing to do after this anyway."

So Luka's going as well. I want to go with them, but it's 3 pm _already_. I'm not sure I can go with them, I don't think going home late is not a very good idea. But looking at Len's enthusiasm makes me unable to refuse. It's just… he looks really happy saying that, I don't want to leave him disappointed. I wonder, would he feel sad if I declined his offer?

"Of course I'm going as well!" I say. "Shall we go now?"

"Yes. Sooner is better." He says with a fake, serious tone with a smirk on his face. He stands up from his seat and then offers his hand to Miku. "Let's go, Miku."

She takes his hand, smiling. "Of course, let's go now."

* * *

><p>During the walk to the karaoke, I can't help but look at Miku and Len who are walking side-by-side.<p>

Sometimes, I wish I was the one who's walking by his side. I can't be that selfish, though. If he wants Miku to be by his side, then I can't do anything about that. I'm nothing more than a friend to him.

Sighing, I look away to the passing people. Whenever I think about that, I always ask myself, 'Why do I feel this way?'

And repeating it again and again. I will be asking the same question to myself without being able to stop asking that.

Luka takes a notice to this, and she taps my shoulder lightly. "Hey, are you okay, Rin-chan?"

"Um, yes, nothing is wrong!" I say a way too quickly.

Luka frowns. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me, at least be honest if there's something in your mind right now."

"Uh, yeah, I have somthing in my mind but… never mind." I say.

"I won't ask, then." She says. "Anyways, Rin-chan. What have you done to Miku-chan?" She asks innocently with a bigger smile on her face.

"What have I done? I didn't do any—"

"That's what you've said to everyone, 'I didn't do anything' but I fact, you've done one thing that can change her." She says. "Everybody can see the change in her now."

I feel the heat rushes to my face. "Well, thank you… if you really think it's because of me."

There is a pause before she asks me with a low, soft-whispery voice. "Then, can you guess what would happen, if that boy beside her was gone from her life? Do you think she would be fine?"

That question surprised me—of course, I didn't expect that. But why is she asking about such thing? Does she know about Miku's relationship with Len, and what happened at _that time_?

The way she says that—she sounds really sure, no doubt in her voice. As if she has known that from long time ago.

"Luka-chan, do you, by any chance, have met Len before?" I ask.

Her expression changes, looking surprised by my question. "If… you ask like that, then I have. I don't know him that much, though."

So she has met him before. But if she said so, why did they greet each other as if she had never met before?

Then she adds calmly. "Although like that, I may know something about him that the others don't. Not even Miku-chan or you, Rin-chan."

I widen my eyes at that statement. I open my mouth, going to say something, but quickly cut by Luka. "I'm pretty surprised that you haven't realized it yet, since you're a very observant person, Rin-chan. Though it's a normal thing for people to forget what happens at 'that time' in their life, so I was kind of expecting that."

"Never mind, though." She adds again. "There's no need to talk about that, since everything is in the place right now. You can forget about that." At the end, she turns her head to me and gives an emotionless look.

She _does_ know it, telling me about that only makes me want to know even more. Perhaps she's doing it on purpose—but because of what? It's completely unnecessary.

Unless if she's trying to tell me about something else behind that. Something else behind Luka, Len, and myself.

* * *

><p>~~Anyone has Twitter? I'm bored (is that a reason?), so I will be glad if someone... have it. And... let's see how many people read this note.<p> 


	31. Chapter 31

~~Wa! I'm back with a new chapter, thinking why I still haven't put an end to the story where it's starting to get 'off topic' from the 'Dreamer' title... And since when this site becomes image-y?

Eh, 60 reviews already? Thank you very much, everyone! I guess I will reply the reviews now, ha!

Miri-chan: Chapter 31 is here!

LunaLapis-san: I don't? Then it's okay to say it, right? ・ω・ Ah, it's okay if you don't have it~

RPR-san: Somehow you can guess it by yourself... Ah, me saying that makes it more obvious, right?

Mukuro234-san: It's okay, it's okay~

At least 2 people read and replied my 'question' on the bottom author note... The usual line: "Thank you for all the reviewers and the readers! Keep on reading!"

World's End Dancehall belongs to wowaka and Migikata no Chou belongs to のりぴー (→noripy/NoriP?)

* * *

><p>Chapter 31<p>

* * *

><p>"Shall we dance with some hop steps? Let's go "one two" in a small corner of this world." Miku and Luka sing together in harmony, as they dance to the song. This is the sixth or seventh song they sing together, in a row.<p>

Then, in the middle of the song, Luka turns her head to me. "Rin-chan, don't you want to sing again?"

I've sang about 5 songs—I don't think singing the sixth one would be good for me. "No, thanks, I would rather not…"

"Ah, then I'll continue with Miku-chan." Luka says with a big smile, and I can only gape at her. They've sung 7 songs in a row without taking a break! "But if you want to sing, just say it and we will stop _momentarily_."

From the way she talks, she seems to be in a really good mood, and I really don't want to ruin it. Miku is having fun as well, as she sings like not knowing what it feels to be tired.

Everything started about two hours ago when we arrived at the karaoke place.

With the usual 'programmed smile', the recepcionist in the main hall of this place asked after we said that we want to do some karaoke, "How many hours?"

Without asking the others, Len answered with a stern voice. "Four."

Miku and Luka didn't seem to have any problem about it. But I doubted I can actually stay here until 8 pm because it was 4 pm already.

For the first time, I thought there was something wrong with him—that was very unlikely for someone who is (supposed to be) hospitalized to sing in the karaoke for 4 hours. I'm not the one who can judge, though. I will not say anything.

Miku and Luka use this opportunity really well—by singing non-stop. In addition to that, they're dancing as well, and it looks like it comes out naturally, the dance moves. I can only watch in awe (and confusion) as they sing and dance. I guess this is something I might want to remember even until I have become a grandmother—

"…Rin, what are you doing with your phone like that?" Someone asks. And it's pretty obvious since Miku and Luka are _too busy_ with singing to call my name. And the only one who calls me without suffix is only Len, after all.

Of course, I feel like being caught doing 'something unusual' when he calls me, resulting me to lower my phone that had been raised up (for recording), then I awkwardly say, "Recording?" After that, I press the record button to stop the recording.

He smiles, like going to laugh. "You're recording the two of them? That's funny."

Confused, I tilt my head slightly and ask. "What's funny?"

"Ah, it's just…" He runs his fingers on his head. "Usually people like to record their own moment rather than recording the others. I guess you're not that kind of person."

Really? I never think about that—I hardly even notice that. "Ah, I guess there's no need to record myself. Besides, Miku-chan and Luka-chan are having so much fun, I don't want to ruin it by getting into the picture."

"Well…" He frowns and stands up from his seat. He plops down the couch with a 'fuwaaah', as he takes a seat beside me. This is close enough for me to blush. "I'm sure they're okay with that. Or if you still don't want to do it, you can record yourself… with me!"

I have blushed enough, why he has to say that? Now I can feel more heat coming to my face. "W-would that be okay?" I ask, slightly stuttering. That's very unlikely for me.

He nods. "Of course, no need to ask. I will be glad, actually. It's not everyday we can do something like this a~nd I'm not sure Miku would let me go out like this anymore, so while we have the chance to…"

What he said is right, our daily routine is filled with school, assignments, and part-time jobs. Having fun isn't something we can do everytime—except if you can enjoy the school. That's my life and the majority of middle-schooler, but what about him?

Somehow I feel lucky that I'm having a good health…

"Come on Rin, what are you waiting for? They had finished singing." He says impatiently.

"Um, yeah." Luka adds. "I bring a camcorder, so why don't you start singing already and I will record it…"

S-she brings a what? At first I thought using phone is enough, but a camcorder. Isn't that too much? Besides, it's… embarrassing.

Suddenly I'm being pulled from the couch, and handed the microphone. The 'beep' sound from the camcorder indicates that Luka has started recording. "Let's start! Rin-chan and Len-kun are going to sing together!" She announces.

Miku claps her hand, cheering us. "Yeah! So, what song are you going to sing?"

"Migikata no Chou." Len grins.

Wait… No one said that we're going to sing. But does that really mean I have to sing?

* * *

><p>I look at the clock which is ticking slowly. It's 7.30 pm right now, and no sound, no music in the karaoke room we are in. No one is singing—we're too tired to sing, and our voices have become hoarse from singing and the lack of drink. Singing for 4 hours straight is not possible, after all.<p>

Luka is looking at the recorded events from before with a smile on her face, and she constantly covers her mouth, trying to hold her laugh while watching the video. Is there any embarrassing moment of me in that recording…?

Like reading my mind, Luka looks at me while waving her hand. "N-no, it's not about you, Rin-chan, don't worry…" She says, still trying to hold her laughter.

"Really? If there is any embarrassing moment, don't hesitate to delete it—I mean, _it's better_ if you delete it." I say, starting to doubt that there's no embarrassing moment inside that recording.

"Really, there isn't any." She says. "But, _if_ there were some, it's better for you to keep it. Maybe when you're older, you can watch it again and then…"

I get what she means by that, so I nod before she can continue. She smiles, "Good, then…" She pauses as she opens a part of the recorder and takes the memory card out. "This is for you, Rin-chan." She says as she puts the card in my hand.

Looking at the card, I ask. "Are you sure? This is yours, Luka-chan."

"I won't need it, anyway. Of course you can have it." Luka says. "Perhaps you would get the chance to watch it with Len-kun." She pauses. "And laugh together." She said that with a straight, emotionless face.

'So it _does_ have something embarrassing!' I think out loud in my head as heat creeps up to my face. "But I can just copy the file, and with that way the card will still be yours, Luka-chan." I say, feeling bad for making her giving the card to me.

With a glare, she looks at me. "Just take the card, I won't need it." She repeats, putting stress on the words.

Feeling slightly scared with 'that Luka', I nod in agreement. "O-okay, thank you Luka-chan. I will… treasure this. The card as well…"

Her scary face disappears and replaced by the previous happy face. Luka is a normal, sane person, right? "Ah~ I'm glad that you want to keep it~"

I give her a sheepish laugh before thanking her and put the card into my bag. Then, I catch Miku who's looking at Luka with a scared-looking face. Luka seems to notice this and she turns her gaze to Miku. "What is it?"

"N-nothing, Luka-chan!" Miku says, waving her hand frantically.

Luka raises one of her eyebrow. "If you say so…"

The room falls into another silence as the conversation ends. It feels more silent than before for no reason.

"Well…" Miku breaks the silence. "It's better if we go home now—it's getting late."

If I was possible, I would look out from the window to see how dark is now. But this room has no window, I can't do that. "Right Miku-chan, we should."

"Hm. Singing for 4 hours is **not** a good choice after all. Look, the one who had that idea had ended up falling asleep." Miku says as she crosses her hands.

"But you agreed with that anyway, Miku-chan." Luka adds with a small voice.

Feeling offended, Miku retorts back. "Wha… What about you?"

Luka sighs. "At least I'm not complaining at the end." She says calmly.

While they are having that small argument, I look at Len who is sleeping peacefully on the couch, using Miku's lap as the pillow. His sleeping face isn't something new for me, but I can't get my eyes off from him.

I'm worried.

"Rin-chan, it's okay." I'm snapped into the real world by Miku's voice that startles me. "He's just… tired." She speaks slowly, as if convincing herself with her statement, and looks down at him. From that, I can tell that she's worried as well. "So, maybe we really should go back now."

"But Miku-chan." Luka says. "Before that, I _really_ need to go to the restroom. Mind to go with me?"

Miku shudders. I give her a quizzical look, and then she says, "Rin-chan, I'm going as well." I get the meaning of the shudder after she said this. "How about you?"

I shake my head slowly. "No, I'll be staying here."

Her mouth opens a bit, forming an 'o'. "I see. Then I will go with Luka-chan now." After she said that, she looks down to Len who's still sleeping on her lap. Hesitating to wake him up or not, she looks at me and makes a face that tells me, "What do I have to do?" But before I can answer, she already shakes his shoulder gently. "Sorry Len, I need to go to the restroom, so would you… move a bit so I can go?"

Slowly he opens his eyes, then he sits up while rubbing his eye. "Sorry, Miku…" He mumbles. Then he asks himself, "I fell asleep?"

Looking back at him, Miku says, "You did, and… you can sleep again if you want to." She smiles and walks towards the door.

And that's when Luka pops her head into the room once more, directing her gaze to Miku as she asks, "M-Miku-chan, are you coming?" Her face looks emotionless, but I think she's hiding her 'feeling'.

With a yelp, Miku answers immediately in an almost robotic voice. "Yes, I'm coming." The door gets closed after that.

And we are left inside this room, just the two of us. Not a new thing for me. We were together without anyone else as well in the dream. But reality is much different than a dream—even a reality-like dream is still different—so, the current situation is let's say, awkward.

Slowly and carefully, I turn my gaze to him, eyeing him without any words. He's still rubbing his eyes to erase the remaining sleepiness. I frown. He can go back to sleep if he wants to.

"You can sleep again if you want to." I repeat what Miku had said to him.

He shakes his head. "No. I wasn't planning on falling asleep, either." He stops the rubbing and looks at the floor. "And why… on Miku's lap?"

"Somehow you suddenly collapsed and Miku-chan decided to use her lap as your pillow." I say truthfully. Then I smirk, "You're happy, right?"

"I-it's not exactly like that! Sure I am happy, but…" He trails off. "Never mind, forget that."

Sudeenly I remember to give him the present—yes, I bring it with me now. This is a chance since it's only the two of us now, no one will see it. I would feel bad if I give it when Miku was here, and Len is _usually_ with Miku.

Deciding that I really have to give the present _now_, I move closer to him. He tilts his head in confusion, probably wondering why I move closer to him. After I settle down on the seat, I take a deep breath as I start to rummage my bag, searching for the mug.

"Ah, well…" I start, my heartbeat accelerates at this point. "I know it's February already, but I guess I have to give you this." Right when I stop speaking, my hand catches the mug. Okay, so I have to pull this out and give it to him. Calm down Rin, this is easy. It's not like you're going to confess your feeling to him—you're just going to give him a little present, only that!

"As a Christmas and birthday present, I-I bought this for you. I'm not sure you're going to like it, but, well…" I pull it out from the bag. Then I extend my hand to him with my head lowered in embarrassment.

There is no response from him, and that makes me a bit… _worried_. I slowly look up at him, and there he is, giving me a look of disbelief.


	32. Chapter 32

~~I won't be updating until next week or around that time... or even more than one week—10 days? Sorry I'm going to make you wait... Please forgive me.

luthor112-san: Thanks! He won't say anything bad, you know it...

Mukuro234-san: Thank you! Your wish is now granted.

ChibiLove-san: ChibiLove-san! Long time no... ←is going to say see, but... It's okay, thank you for the review, anyway ^^ The grammatical mistakes were still there, ahaha, I will try harder next time!

Thank you for all the readers! Enjoy the thirty second chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter 32<p>

* * *

><p>I sigh in disappointment. He doesn't seem to like my gift. I really should think about it—why would a boy like something this girlish?<p>

And to my surprise, suddenly he snatches the mug away from my hand. Startled and confused, I look at him.

"Where did you buy this?" He asks, almost yelling at me. "This is… this is cute. Thank you so much, Rin!" Then he calms himself down (from the excitement?) as he starts to take a better look of the mug.

I really didn't expect that. No, I'm still not expecting that, so what he had said is still unbelievable for me. And that causes me to ask him back, "…You're welcome?" The words seem to be hanging in the air after I said that. "You really like it?"

"Yep. I like the color very much, Rin. From where did you know my favorite color is yellow? And the bear's cute. It's a _perfect_ present." He says while nodding. "And you actually know my birthday. I didn't expect that. Well, once again, thank you Rin~!"

He accepts it, I'm glad that he accepts it. A really nice person he is. But isn't that how he acts to anyone? He's always been the person everyone likes, right?

It's probably not because of my present—it's just his nature. Though I'm feeling a bit disappointed by that, but I'm still happy, no matter what.

"You're welcome, Len. I'm glad… you like it." I say with a smile.

* * *

><p>Actually Luka's house and my house go to the same direction from the school—I just know that when we're going to go home later at that night. Len and Miku are going back to the hospital, taking a different path while Luka's going with me, saying that her house also goes to this way.<p>

"He's a nice person, actually." She says, breaking the silence between the two of us.

"Who? Len?" I ask. She nods in agreement and I continue. "Well, yeah. Since the first time I met him, he's always nice to me. Not only to me, he's nice to everyone, without exception."

"That means he would die for someone he barely knows?" Luka asks jokingly. "Really. Nice. Someone like that _still_ exists in this world?"

"And what do you exactly mean by that?" I ask with a fake-serious voice.

"A 'Rin-chan' is rare enough as well, though. But I'm glad that a 'Rin-chan' still exist." She adds.

"What about a 'Luka-chan'?" I continue.

She giggles. Then she stops and her eyes wander somewhere else. "But really, I'm impressed of him—making that choice is not easy at all, but he did."

I start to get confused. What is she talking about? I have no idea about that, no idea at all. What choice?

However, to make me even more confused, she continues. "But from the beginning, understanding human's thought is not an easy task for me—it's too complicated."

I feel my breath being cut suddenly, making me unable to breathe for a split second after she said that. Luka… is not a human? How is that even possible?

"The things I'm hearing, the things I'm looking, the things I'm feeling… Everything is just a dream _for me_." She adds as she smiles sadly to the dark sky.

I need to gather my inner strength to be able to ask her properly—I was too shocked hearing that statement she gave—and when that strength is enough, I ask slowly, hesitantly, "Luka-chan, what do you mean by that? Aren't you a human as well?"

She turns her gaze to me. "Ah, sorry for talking nonsense, Rin-chan." She apologizes. "I probably made you confused by saying that, that's not a thing you need to think about so actually I feel a little bit guilty to bring something like that up."

"It's okay though, Luka-chan." I say, but I still can't stop thinking about what she had said earlier. Maybe it has something to do with her and Len—it was Len who we were talking about, anyway.

"Oh yeah, Luka-chan. I want to ask something…" I say. "When did you meet Len for the first time? I mean, once I kind of saw you in the hospital and… maybe it has something to do with him?"

The atmosphere changed suddenly. She looks uncomfortable with my question, so I think it's better to say, "Never mind, you don't need to answer that."

But before I can say that, she has already started speaking. "I met him about 5 or 4 months ago, but no, I wasn't there because of him—it was just a coincidence."

Now the hospital matter doesn't matter that much, since she said it, she didn't come because of him. But what confuses me the most is: She met him 5 or 4 months ago.

He was in coma at that time.

* * *

><p>The rest of the walk filled with silence. After the conversation ended, we really don't say anything to each other. Maybe it's too awkward even just to say, "Oh, I see."<p>

But when the road breaks to an intersection, both of us stop walking and look at each other.

We have no choice but to talk.

"My house goes this way." I say, pointing to the left. "What about you?" I ask in a near-monotone voice.

"My house is ahead—looks like we have to part from this point." Luka says, not looking at me. "Well, I'm going now, then. See you later at the school." She waves her hand as she turns her gaze to me.

"Yeah, see you later." I wave back at her. "Thank you for today, Luka-chan!"

Luka, who had walked away, turns and grins at me. "Sure! Thank you for today as well, Rin-chan!"

Both of us turn away and begin to walk to different paths. Walking alone in the night feels lonely—no one really wants to make noises beside the crickets, and in the night time people rarely walk in this part of the town.

Having nothing else to do, I pull my phone out from my bag and check the time. I never got home this late—which means trouble, I doubt my mother will be happy when she sees me.

Has she arrived home? Usually I wait for her to come home, but only this time, I hope she comes much later than usual. I feel like being a bad girl.

And that's why I hesitate whether to open the door or not when the door of my house is already in front of me. But there's no other chance—I can't stay outside the house, really.

Taking a deep breath, I insert the key to the hole, turning it until there's a click sound and grab the doorknob. Slowly, I open the door and step into the house.

The light is on—there's no doubt, mother is home. With a sigh, I close the door behind me and start walking to my room _normally_, as if nothing had happened—acting innocent. Everything goes smooth, of course, before mother finally decides on calling my name.

"Ah, Rin!" She says, peeking from the kitchen. "Where have you been? I thought you're going to help me making the dinner,"

"We can still eat dinner now, right? And of course I will help you." I say.

She nods after thinking about my idea. "You're right, Rin. But where have you been? I'm sure you didn't stay in the library until this late." She asks, demanding for answer. But she doesn't sound angry.

"The karaoke… with my friends." I say truthfully. "Well, we went there after we finished studying at the library."

"Your friend that you told your dad and I before? The one who lives alone?" She asks with a smile. "…You said Miku earlier, right? Is that her? Thinking that I let my daughter met up with someone I have no idea is just…"

I blink twice after hearing her way of referring Miku because she doesn't know her name. "Yes, it's her. Miku, Hatsune Miku."

"Ah, I see. So, Miku-chan was with you as well?" She asks.

"Yes, she was." I answer while nodding. Even though mother has talked to me, everything's still going fine until now—

And exactly, that's the reason why I'm feeling really uneasy right now. It won't go smoothly like this, I know that. Unless, if something is about to happen.

"Okay." She says like a judge after judging. "I'm okay if you go out until late—you're seventeen, I'm sure you can take care of yourself—but at least inform your mother, Rin. No matter how old you are, I am still and will always be your mother, so of course I have to look after you, even though indirectly."

This is what I have expected from the beginning. But this is my fault after all. Lowering my head a bit, I apologize, "I'm sorry mother—it's my fault for not informing you about my whereabouts and my current activity."

She giggles and pats my head. "It's okay, Rin. You don't need to apologize _that_ seriously. But remember to do it next time, okay?"

I nod again.

"And Rin, your exams are coming, right? I recommend you to study at home rather than going outside." She says, still wearing the same smile. "Now, help me to prepare the dinner."

As I walk to the kitchen to help her, I only laugh nervously. "Okay, mother."


	33. Chapter 33

~~I'm back. 12 days? Well, I don't care, now I'm here.

ChibiLove-san: You're the first person who said that she was the one. Well it's pretty obvious~ And... no, I don't speak English but I've learned the language since kindergarten, I think... Thank you for the review!

Mukuro234-san, RPR-san: Thank you for the review!

It's spring already in the story~

* * *

><p>Chapter 33<p>

* * *

><p>"Already, huh?"<p>

Swinging my legs that are hanging from the bed back and forth, I look at the calendar on the desk. It's strange, everything happens really fast.

Before I knew it, it's a new school term already. The exam had ended (yes, I passed), and now I'm going to be a third grader. I thought it's only yesterday when I went to the library with Miku.

Since that time, I haven't met Len. I had been studying home from that time, and I didn't get the chance to visit him (mother wouldn't let me go, anyway). But the new term is here—I think I can meet him again. Actually, meeting each other in the dream is pretty convenient, we just have to sleep. However, seems like none of us can go to that dream anymore.

I stand up from my bed, walking towards the bathroom. I better start preparing for school.

* * *

><p>First thing I need to know before starting this new year: Knowing which class am I in. But I really don't understand why they only put the list in <em>one<em> message board. One message board I can't see anymore because it's surrounded by students who wants to search for their name.

I will wait until it gets less crowded. So I just stand there, watching everyone while hearing their comments after knowing their class. Everyone has different thoughts about it—that's what I like from doing this.

The first one, positive comments.

"Oh my… I'm in the same class with him—!" A girl says while jumping up and down.

"Hey, we're in the same class!" A boy says as he circles his arm around his friend's neck.

Then his friend protests, "Ow, that hurts."

Or something like, "He's my homeroom teacher, he's my homeroom teacher…" A girl chants again and again while keeping her voice low, the board is on her back. A wide smile is on her face.

The second, negative comments.

"Ah, I'm in the same class with him again." A girl says. "And it means, another bad year—like five is not enough. Or maybe I really have to get along with him? But it's too impossible." She sighs.

Then, a loud feminine voice says—as if informing something important to mass, "I'm not in the same class with her?" And that really makes people flinch.

Or the third, another kind of 'negative comment'.

After some moments looking for his name, a boy knits his eyebrow and asks to himself, "Why isn't my name listed there? How am I supposed to study in this school?" And he starts to walk in circle, muttering things to himself.

I silently pray that something like that will not happen to me.

Then, it's my turn to search for my name—waiting won't change anything since the crowd doesn't get smaller until now. I manage to get through the crowd and stand exactly in front of the board. I scan the papers quickly and spot my name.

Kagamine Rin 3-C

This time, I'm not in the same class with Miku, but Luka's in my class. It's not a problem, I'm okay with anyone.

But what is awaiting ahead in this year?

* * *

><p>Break time, students are 'scattered' around the school—some eat in the cafetaria, some stay in the class, and some are anywhere else.<p>

The weather is nice today, and I want to smell the 'scent of spring', so I decided to sit on the grass field by myself—Miku says she has something to do, and the girls in my class have things they want to do. I don't have a problem with being 'alone'—rather than forcing someone to sit with you, I think it's much better.

It's not too hot or too cold at here—a perfect place to have a break (though we weren't studying in the class—we're talking about what we should do to the class for the next one year—so I don't think this break is that necessary). I'm not exactly alone in this place, anyway. Some other students also sit on the grass.

This would be really peaceful if I didn't have something that bugs my mind.

After that time when we went to the karaoke, before the exams started, I kept on thinking about what Luka had said to me—I'm still thinking until now.

Luka and Len, something is between them. I don't know what the something is, but I am sure, they hide something from me.

Then, why am I thinking about that when it has nothing to do with me? Maybe I'm curious and I want to know, but I…

My thoughts are cut aburptly when someone covers my eyes—I can feel a hand covering my eyes, darkening everything. I frown and ask hesitantly, "Excuse me, but who are you?"

The person doesn't answer my first call, so I repeat it again. "Um, really, who are you?" I get a reply after I ask for the second time. A harder press on my eyes is the reply.

I grab the hands and try to pull it away, but I can't. It's too tight. I'm starting to panic—_who_ covers my eyes? What if the one who covers my eyes is a kind of kidnapper? Though I doubt there was a kidnapper inside of this school, the possibility is still there.

"Aaaahh! Anybody help me!" I yell for help as I flail around. The hands are removed from my eyes instantly, and finally I can see the weird stares students are giving me. Some even have a smile on their face. Then I hear someone chuckling from behind.

"I really didn't expect that reaction, Rin-senpai…"

I recognize that voice _too well_. I turn around and see Len sitting behind me, still laughing. "Sorry if I scare you, anyway." He continues.

I blush a bit and suddenly finding the grass really interesting. Inside, I'm really happy that he's here, technically popping up from nowhere, but it doesn't matter. Finally I can meet him again, but what is he doing… at my school? "N-no, actually… it's okay. But Len, what are you doing here? And what's with the 'senpai'?"

He seems to be disappointed that I sound like I don't want to meet him, but he answers my question anyway, "I saw you sitting here alone… and I hadn't met you for a while, so I'm here, because I miss being with you." He says and laughs a bit. "And the answer to the last question is simple—I'm your kouhai."

I bite my lip, trying to hide the widening smile on my face. Did he really say 'I miss being with you'? Really?

And the fact that we go to the same school makes me happier. Probably because Miku goes here as well, though. But that means I can see him more frequently—though we're not in the same grade.

"I see you're catching up with the study." I say and push myself back so I will be sitting next to him. "But that's really unexpected—I never thought you will be in this school because I thought you were home-schooled or something…"

He laughs again, "Why would I be home-schooled? I always go to the public school."

"But you're—" I stop myself before the next word can be said. I suddenly remember what he had said to me at that time. "Never mind. Besides, I'm happy that I can see you more frequently if we go to the same school."

It's like I can forget it—things he had said to me, I remember almost all of them.

_"Can you stop treating me as if I were sick?"_

He only smiles at me, a somewhat sad smile while saying, "Yeah, we… can see each other more frequently. I'm glad."

But I hear doubt in his voice. What is he hiding from me?


	34. Chapter 34

~~On Wednesday, I forgot to update and yesterday I wasn't at home. Someone shoot me.

*shot*

RPR-san and luthor112-san and Mukuro234-san: Thank you!

Shriekmon-san: Now you mention it... Len as the target... I _do_ think so, ahahaha. Thanks for the review!

ChibiLove-san: Waa, thank you very much for pointing up the errors! It's okay it's okay~

And for everyone who's still reading! Thank you!

Here's the thirty-fourth chapter, Rin as a stalker.

* * *

><p>Chapter 34<p>

* * *

><p>I've learned the way to be a stalker. I didn't do this intentionally, but after doing this for a while, I finally realize what I've been doing all this time.<p>

I was stalking—no, I'm still stalking. I thought it's pretty obvious who I am stalking right now, but let's talk about that later.

When I heard the 'stalking' term for the first time, I couldn't help but think—why do people stalk the others? Isn't that… invading someone's privacy? That's an impolite thing to do, especially if it's just because they want to know the others (the ones who are being stalked) better—using an improper way.

Maybe, _I won't even forgive myself_ for doing this, but I don't know why, I'm still doing this—I'm sure I will regret this later. Usually by thinking about that could make me stop, but something's definitely wrong this time—yes, Kagamine Rin just can't stop herself from doing this.

I've said that I _am_ stalking at the moment, so this is my current position in a certain day in the spring, standing in front of Len's class in the first break. When he came out from the class, I would move from my place and follow him afterwards to wherever he went. The hard thing is I have to watch his every movement while making sure that he doesn't see me following him behind.

Then, someone opens the door. I perk up immediately to see who comes out from the door. As what I have expected, a bunch of boys come out from the classroom. And of course, Len is getting out from the class with his friend as well. Now it's time for me to move and follow them.

The corridor is filled with students, and I can easily 'hide' in between while following those boys.

With his arm circled to Len's shoulders, the boy (I don't know who) asks, "Then, of course you have a girl you have a crush on!"

I blink twice. What were thay talking about? What's with that question? Not a huge matter, actually. But hearing that question out from nowhere sounds strange.

"Of course I do, what a strange question…" Len says in a way where he would roll his eyes at the same time.

"Ha! I have thought so." The boy exclaims loudly. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"You won't know her anyway, there's no point of telling."

"Nah, I don't think you will tell me that. Just forget it." He says while walking down the stairs. "Anyway, we're gonna play baseball after school. Wanna come?"

A silence falls between the two of them. "Why baseball?" Len asks.

"I dunno. Random choice of sport?" He says while laughing. "You're coming or not? You haven't answered that yet."

"I'm not going, then. Sorry." Len says in disappointment.

"Ah, so it's a no… How about tomorrow?" He asks again, hoping that will be a 'yes' from Len.

"No."

"The next day?"

"…No."

"The next, next day?"

"Uh, no. Look, I'm really sorry but I probably won't be able to come anywhere this week." Len says with a heavy sigh. "I have to do many things at home, just forgive me?" He turns his head to his friend, and I duck because I think he might see me if he turns that way.

And that's when a second grader looks down at me with a weird stare.

"Ahaha," I laugh monotonously. "Hello there. Just ignore me and pretend I didn't exist."

The second grader girl just titls her head, her face shows a complete confusion before turning away and walks somewhere else.

With a sigh, I stand up again. I look forward where Len and his friend are still talking. Their backs are getting farther from me.

Len had declined the offer, but he sounded like he doesn't actually want to decline it. Is he okay with that?

* * *

><p><em>I finally know<em>.

The class is filled with the usual crowd, people busy chatting here and there.

"So, Rin-chan, any planning for this spring?"

"No, actually I haven't planned anything. Maybe studying because we're gonna have an exam this year?"

She groans after hearing my answer. "You really don't have to remind me of that, Rin-chan."

"Eeeh? I didn't mean to. Ah, anyway, I have something to do."

"You're going out from the class again?"

Want it or not, I peek back to the classroom. "Yeah, I am. See you later!"

* * *

><p><em>The life Len has always been living<em>.

"This Saturday? Oh, my… it will be so much fun!" A girl exclaims to her friend in the hallway. "Everybody's going to come? That's great!"

"Right, your reaction is just the same as what I have expected!" Another girl says while giggling.

Having no idea what the first graders are talking about, I walk past them without paying much attention. Soon the 1-B class sign can be seen. Let the stalking begin.

The class is still in its empty state—unlike my class—even though some students have already come and sit on their desk. But it's calm enough for me to be able to hear the conversation inside the class from the outside.

"Amusement park! The whole 1-B, this Saturday!" Someone exclaims. I guess this must be the thing the previous girls were talking about. "Who's coming?"

I hear several answers, saying the same answer, "Me!"

It's starting to be hard to determine what's actually happening inside the class, so I decide to take a peek from the glass window.

About seven or eight people are surrounding one table, seeming to be discussing something. And just 2 seats behind them is Len, just staring at the sky without even trying to join the conversation.

At least until someone turns his head towards Len and asks something to the rest of the group. "Then, Kagamine-kun?"

The group falls into silence at the mention of that, until one of them speaks up. "Yeah, like, are we really going without Kagamine-kun _again_?"

Len turns his gaze to the group. "Yeah, without me again." He replies casually with a smile.

"Eh, you won't come again, seriously?" A girl asks in disbelief. "…What a disappointment."

Len just laughs. "I would come if I could, though."

As the group starts talking about something else, Len lowers his head, looking at nothing in particular.

"Again…"

* * *

><p><em>The life I never have expected before<em>.

The teacher asked me to help her bringing the books to her office. I follow her as she walks to the office with our hands full of books.

At first, I have no idea how she managed to bring those things to the class when she couldn't bring it back to her room. But later, it turned out to be like this: while we walk towards the office, she enters some other classrooms to take _more books_. And exactly, that's how our hands turn out to be full like this.

"You're a big help, Rin-chan. Thank you very much~" The teacher suddenly says out from nowhere, breaking the near-silence. The sudden compliment makes it suspicious.

What is she going to say next?

"Next stop is art room… Rin-chan, can you go in and take a canvas, and acrylic paint? Oh, take a palette and some brush as well, okay?"

That's a lot! How am I supposed to take those things when my hands are already full? Though I'm thinking that way, my mouth unconsciously answers her, "Yes, of course."

I walk inside the art room with my head filled with thoughts. Why did I say yes? I'm sure she would understand that the capacity of my hand has already reaches its limit if I explained it to her.

Maybe I could use my hand to bring the paint tools, then the books will become balancing books on my head. Or maybe I can 'move' the book from the art room to the office by kicking it.

And before I knew it, I'm already inside of the art room, the books are still in my hands. Now, what am I seriously going to do? Balancing the books is a weird idea, and I _can't_ balance those books on my head. The idea of kicking the books is even worse!

I sigh and put the books on the nearest table. I start to look around the lack-of-light room—the only source of light is the windows. White, empty canvas isn't the first thing I notice, but a certain someone's blonde hair that gleams under the light, his blue eyes staring right into my own orbs.

"Rin." He says.

"Len." I say in reply. "So… what are you doing in here?"

He shrugs, and looks down to the sketch book on the table. "Drawing." He answers shortly.

I smile at the answer and I walk closer to him, wanting to see his drawing. "Let me see it." I say as I lean forward.

There's a drawing of a room—the exact room I saw in my dream, with no change—which is very detailed. Every object is drawn exactly like the real thing, the lighting and shading are perfectly added, and none of them is out of place. The whole drawing is just like a pencil-sketched photo.

"Eh? It might be bad since I haven't drawn anything for a long time, sorry." He apologizes.

"What… what is 'not good' from this? This picture is…" I pause, thinking of a word to describe it. "…perfect in my eyes. And it brings back memories, doesn't it?"

He smiles hearing the compliment. "Thank you, Rin. And well, actually it does."

I'm not asking anymore question about the drawing. I start to walk around the room looking for the things I need to take.

"Looking for something?" Len asks while getting up from his seat.

I nod. "Yeah, a canvas, acrylic paint, palette and some brushes."

"Are you going to make a painting?"

I smile sheepishly, "No. Someone asks me to take those things, so that's why I'm here." Then that thought suddenly enters my mind. "Wait, why are you drawing _alone_ in this room when the others are supposed to be studying?"

I feel a gaze falls to me. Not a usual gaze, but a rather scaring one—a glare. "It's PE time." He answers shortly while sighing.

"Then why don't you—" My word is cut again by a realization inside of me.

"It's like Miku would let me." He says gloomily. Then he looks up at me with a brighter facial expression. "But actually I managed to sneak up to join the lesson last week."

I blink in disbelief. "That's… good?" I question my own statement.

"No good." He says with a slight laugh. "Apparently I need a simpler sport and not a tiring one, though the latter one looks more fun. But it's impossible for me, after all. There's nothing I can do about that."

He quickly goes back to his drawing, acting like the words he had said were nothing. But then he looks up to me. "Ah, about the items you need to take… The canvas should be there, on the top on the shelf—the paints are below that. Palette… on the bottom, and here's the brushes." He pushes something on the table towards me, a cup full of brushes in various sizes.

I start to gather things I need to take. At the end, I find out that it's really _impossible_ to carry all the items at once. Carrying the painting tools alone is difficult enough to do, then the books…

"You would need my help, then." He says, walking towards me and take the items from my hand. "With that you can carry the books. So, where are we heading?"

My eyebrows are slighly raised, but I walk to the books and pick them up, doing what he had asked me. "Oh, okay… Thank you, Len. And… we're going to the teachers' office—the teacher is still waiting outside."

I was frowning at him when he took the items from my hand. Of course, he doesn't need to be that _nice_ to me. But, because I have known how his life 'works', I just let him help me for this time.

No one really notice it, all covered with his kindness—that's the way he hide it from _everyone_. Actually he doesn't need to hide it from me, because I know…

He's feeling lonely.

Though like that, he's still being kind to everyone, no matter how he felt at this moment. Probably that's the reason why everyone likes him.

And maybe… that's the reason why I _love_ him.


	35. Chapter 35

~~I almost forgot to update again, eheheh... And I'm still on chapter 40, so I don't want to rush it.

Thank you for LunaLapis-san, KawaiiSushiWithSweetSauce-san, RPR-san, Rin1019-san and Mukuro234-san for reviewing! I... uh, have nothing to say here.

...I lied. LunaLapis-san: Stalker Rin! Somehow I think it would be fun if Rin stalked Len, so...

KawaiiSushiWithSweetSauce-san: Thank you for the review!

RPR-san: Here's the next chapter~

Rin1019-san: She did... it was mentioned but left untold because I have no idea how to put that... Ahaha. And thank you very much!

Mukuro234-san: Actually I think that last part sounds... weird. But yeah, she admitted it!

And thank you for all the readers! Thank you! Enjoy the thirty-fifth chapter, um, this is pretty random so I don't think this is a good chapter... Ah, I need to add more Rin-Miku moment...

* * *

><p>Chapter 35<p>

* * *

><p>"Why don't you go to hanami with your friends?" My mother asks from her seat on the couch.<p>

I turn my head to her while putting a mug of tea on the table. "Hanami…?" I ask as if it was a foreign word. "I mean, why hanami?"

My mother sips on her tea, slowly gulping it down and then releases a long breath of relief. "Of course because it's spring. When else you can go with your friends and watch the blooming sakura…? Wait, or maybe the current generation thinks that watching the blooming sakura while eating and talking is boring?"

She continues right when I have opened my mouth to talk. "The tea is nice, thank you, Rin~ A perfect drink after working hard!"

I smile sheepishly. "You're welcome, mother. But I don't think so when you said it's boring. I'm still enjoying it even until now, actually."

"It is what you think. What about the others?" She simply asks.

* * *

><p>"No, it's boring -Kaito"<p>

Now I'm sitting in front of my computer, currently having an online chat with Miku, Len, Luka and Kaito. But now I can only sweatdrop at the message displayed on the screen.

"Who asked about your opinion? And what are you doing here? **You're uninvited**! -Miku"

"I have a right to be _here_, okay? It's my problem, Miku-chan, why do you even care? -Kaito"

"But at first Rin-chan didn't invite you to this group chat! -Miku"

"And at least, don't say it too bluntly that you think hanami is boring. It might offense someone -Miku"

"Ah, maybe that's my fault. But (again), it's my problem, Miku-chan. Not yours. Back. Off -Kaito"

"But still, why are you here? Get away! Don't come back! -Miku"

Miku and Kaito stop bickering at _nothing_. I can only wonder when it would end…

"Relax Miku-chan, it's not like he's going to bring an end to the world -Luka"

"But who invited him to this chat? -Miku"

"Hey, they're already getting into their own world now, hm? Rin-chan, what's your opinion? -Luka"

"…Maybe it's (not) good? At this rate, the other 3, including us will be forgotten -Rin"

"*sigh* Ah, that romantical world of theirs~ -Luka"

"Kaito? I was the one who invited him -Len"

"He kept on nagging about ice cream, so… you know what I mean -Len"

"I read that… whoever is that -Kaito"

"What nagging? I was only asking when you will take me to the ice cream shop -Kaito"

"Asking several times, repeating the same pattern of asking _is_ considered to be nagging, Kaito -Len"

"Oh, Len's the one who invited him? W-well, I guess it can't be helped -Miku"

"Rin-chan's question has been forgotten—what about the others? What do you think? -Miku"

"I'm okay with that, Miku-chan -Rin"

"I have answered that. Who went off topic now? -Kaito"

"I'm okay with anything, if Rin-chan, Luka-chan and Len are fine with that -Miku"

"I got ignored -Kaito"

"I'm okay with hanami… but 'Kaito' doesn't want to go, so, any other choice? -Luka"

"What makes 'hanami' to be the first choice, Rin-chan? There's a particular reason, right? -Luka"

"…Actually it was my mother who had the idea. If anyone else has another/better idea, just say it -Rin"

"Anywhere is fine, it's up to you, Rin -Len"

"But no one really 'agreed' with my idea -Rin"

"(Ah, Rin-chan is actually right) -Miku"

"I agree -Miku"

"Watch some movie, see sakuras while walking there, eat ice cream -Kaito"

"Eh? That idea sounds pretty good -Rin"

"…Rin-chan? -Miku"

"Yes? -Rin"

"It's Kaito for the God's sake! Why did you agree with him from all the people? -Miku"

"…But it's okay if Rin-chan said so. So, the movie, Sunday at 11 am -Miku"

"That was actually fast and easy to decide -Luka"

"Fast and easy, indeed, Megurine-san -Len"

"Miku-chan is a tsundere, I have never expected it -Luka"

"Tsundere? No, I don't love him -Miku"

"I don't love her -Kaito"

"It's merely for amusement. I love someone else -Miku"

"The same goes to me. I love someone else, and it's obviously not her -Kaito"

"…Why the sudden serious atmosphere? -Len"

"That reminds me. That time, Kaito said -Len"

"Len -Kaito"

"That he had found someone who belongs to his heart -Len"

"Len… -Kaito"

"And that person is… -Len"

"Len! -Kaito"

"I'm not going to say it, don't worry -Len"

"Um, sorry for interrupting, but I need to leave the chat now, I haven't done the homework for tomorrow -Rin"

"Thank God I have no homework -Miku"

"Mine is done, just now -Luka"

"Whoa, that's fast! Then I have to do mine as well… Until tomorrow~ -Rin"

I quickly close the window without typing anything else, then shut the computer down.

While walking to my desk, I recall what Miku said before. The one who she loves is not Kaito. If it's not Kaito, then who? I don't know who else (a boy) she probably likes beside Len and Kaito. Then, who is it?

I tried to shrug that thought away, but in fact, I can't.

I end up finishing the homework at 1 am, and I doubt I get the right answers. I won't know until the next day, though.

* * *

><p>It's about 10.30 am in a sunny Sunday, and I'm walking to the movie with Miku and Len as well. But I don't think the weather reflects my feeling, though.<p>

"Maybe we should go to the library instead if it turned out to be like this…"

"Cheer up Rin-chan! It's just homework, not a test!" Miku tries to cheer me up.

Stomping my foot on the road, I protest, "But that might affect my overall score!" I can imagine it already, seeing the number 2 in my score list at the end of the semester.

"You will do just well. Your score is not at the bottom of the class, after all." Miku says calmly, certain with her words. "Um, talking about that… Len, how is the school? Everything alright?"

Len doesn't seem to hear her—he's watching the blooming sakura trees since we started walking. I don't know what's in his mind, but that doesn't seem to be _usual_ for him to be like that.

Miku moves to his side, and then she waves her hand in front of his face. "Hey, get back to the earth and… answer my question."

That has successfully snapped him out from his thought. He turns his head to Miku, a slight blush appears on his face. "Oh, sorry Miku. Um, what's the question?"

With a worried look, Miku speaks, "I was asking about school. How is everything doing?"

"It's just fine, but the lessons just getting harder, aren't they?" He answers while laughing. "Or maybe it's just me?"

"Maybe it's just you. Our school's standard is not that high, actually." Miku says as she puts her index finger on her lips. "You were the one who _desperately_ want to go back to the school as soon as possible. I've told you that you can start next year or… after that. With that way, you can get more rest, right?"

"Then you would be in college already, Miku." He says monotonously. "Besides it's impossible for me to start next year. How old would I be? Eighteen?"

I tilt my head in confusion and join the conversation immediately. "Why not? There's no age limit… I think."

He frowns, then he looks at me after making sure that Miku is _a bit ahead_. He mouths something and honestly, that makes me more confused than before.

"_It's not because of that._"

Though I'm still tilting my head, he nods and gives me a sad smile, which I don't really understand. But after that, Miku finally realizes that she's walking a bit ahead and that makes her to look back. Her long teal hair is swished because of the motion and hits me a bit.

"What… is it?" Miku asks slowly. "Is everything alright, Len?"

"Everything is alright, Miku. You don't need to ask every ten minutes—I will tell you if something happens so you don't have to worry." He says. His voice sounds serious, but _something else_ at the same time. _Guilt_?

Miku just sighs as she faces the road. "But you're unusually silent."

"No, I was just… looking at the sakura trees and the fallen petals." He answers, redirecting his gaze to the said tree. "They're beautiful."

"…You haven't seen it for a long time, eh?" Miku says softly. "Somehow I understand that. Just take your time to look at the flowers, then. I can have somekind of talk with Rin-chan while you're doing that."

"There's no need to. I can enjoy the sight while walking." He says, once more breaking his gaze from the tree.

It's not a surprise for me that he actually really enjoys looking at those beautiful flowers. Sakura is simply beautiful—it's hard not to like it, and this flower is the thing I love the most from this season.

But I have no idea why he looks at those flowers with _that look_, as if he wasn't going to be able to see those flowers again.


	36. Chapter 36

~~Why do I have to be so forgetful...? *forgot to update again*

Ah, I love you, RPR-san. You reviewed the previous chapter—no, I mean I love all the readers~ You'll know it by reading this... And the previous chapter is not good at all, it was extremely boring, I'm really sorry about that!

RPR-san: Tragic story? Again? It's a usual thing for the Kagamines *shot* And about Luka and Len, it'll be explained near the end, you just have to wait, ohoho~ Thank you for the review~

Oh, right. Next update is after I finished chapter 42! I'm at 41 now, it shouldn't take long~

...Enjoy?

* * *

><p>Chapter 36<p>

* * *

><p>"To the blondes and the tealette who just got in! Here!" A waved spoon is raised up to the air, motioning the said people to come to where the call comes from.<p>

I perk up from the call, knowing that the one who's calling is referring to us—the voice is familiar enough to be recognized, after all. No one else will shout loudly in a cafe like this.

We make our way to the table, and find Kaito sitting with a spoon hanging out from his mouth—I suspect that spoon is the one that got waved in the air. There's a bowl of ice cream already on the table, I guess Kaito couldn't resist the urge to buy ice cream even before the others come. He's an ice cream lover after all.

But Miku doesn't seem to like it. "You're… eating without waiting for the others? What kind of friend is that?" She says, pissed off.

I decide to take a seat in front of him, then Len sits beside me—which makes me happy, of course. Miku is going to sit next to Len. However, Kaito speaks, "Miku-chan, would you sit beside me? The other person is that 'Megurine', and I haven't met her before, it will be awkwardly awkward."

"And you call yourself a man?" Miku says casually as she scans the menu that the waitress just gave us, not even bothering to look at Kaito. "Or there's another reason other than Luka-chan?"

"Actually, no." Kaito says as he looks around the cafe. "I just… you know, making you annoyed is fun." He says truthfully.

Miku says something in return, but I pay no attention to it because I start to think about the two of them.

Miku and Kaito… act like they were having a crush to each other—the way they scold and annoy each other, the way they yell at each other. It's kind of hard to believe that they don't like each other 'that way'. I personally still don't believe it that Miku doesn't like Kaito in that way and vice versa, but Miku doesn't seem to be lying about that.

Should I believe her this time? She had lied once to me, about her liking Len. But she's my friend, I can't distrust her just because of that. She must have a good reason about why she lied.

"I think getting Miku and Kaito together is no good." Len comments while laughing. "People will mistake them as a couple with their never-ending bickering. Honestly I'm surprised that they don't like each other while their relationship is 'like that'. Just become a couple already…"

I stare at him for a moment before asking a question. "Are you sure they don't like each other? It doesn't seem to be like that."

"Ah. Because Kaito had told me who he likes. I really didn't expect him to like her, so it surprised me." He says. "And don't you realize it yet?"

"About what? Kaito?" I ask him back.

"No, Miku. I thought you would realize it since… you're her friend, but…" He trails off.

Right after he stops talking, a waitress comes to the table to take the orders. Then she leaves, taking the menu list with her.

"Kaito-kun sure likes ice cream." I say, starting a conversation.

"Why, yes, _love_ it." Kaito says.

"There, ice cream should have gender as well." Len says, rather carelessly. "Kaito would probably marry the female one, then."

"If that was true, then I would." Kaito replies.

Honestly I do not know how to react to this—the conversation has gotten strange. "Um, so you're…"

"Here's the order." Says the waitress that always seems to come after a conversation end. After that, she quickly put some bowls of ice cream—one orange, one banana and one… spring onion—and left with no other word.

I stare the ice cream before eating it. Sure, the orange color looks so natural, making it more delicious. Grabbing my spoon, I start to eat the ice cream—I _have_ to eat it, it's really tempting.

I lick the spoon with ice cream on it slowly. Feeling nearly nothing, I decide to 'eat' it instead of 'lick' it. Once the ice cream enters my mouth and slowly melts…

"This is good." I say almost monotonously while trying to hold a squeal from delight.

"I know it, right?" Kaito says, still eating his ice cream—is he eating that slowly or he ordered another one? "That's why I choose this place—the ice cream is delicious and there are many choices~"

"I thought it's just because… this is an ice cream shop." Len says as he plays around with his spoon.

"No, it has a better reason." Kaito simply says—he's too busy eating his ice cream, I think.

Then someone taps both of my shoulders. A voice I have expected calls me, "Hello, Rin-chan."

"Ah, Luka-chan!" I say in return as I turn around to look at her. After I said that, Miku and Kaito stop talking immediately. An awkward silence is created.

"Uh, just take a seat, Luka-chan!" I offer. She nods and walks to the seat beside Kaito.

"Now it's settled down, Kaito." Miku hisses as she finally takes a seat next to Len. "Thank you very much, Luka-chan!" She exclaims with a voice that sounds too different from the previous one.

"No problem Miku-chan, though I don't know why you're thanking me." Luka says, then she turns to Kaito. "Then… I assume you're 'Kaito'?"

"Hm?" Kaito says with his mouth full of ice cream. "Yeah, Shion Kaito. It's nice to meet you…"

"Megurine Luka."

"Oh, okay Megurine-san." Kaito says shortly before getting back to his ice cream world.

"At least say something to her." Miku says, looking annoyed.

"Miku-chan, be patient, I was just going to ask something before." Kaito says as he gulps down the ice cream inside him mouth. "Which flavor do you like, Megurine-san?"

"Nothing in particular, unless they have a tuna-flavored ice cream." Luka says casually with a huge smile.

That _simple_ statement has left me shocked—I swear I'm gaping right now. Not only me, looking to my right are Len who has his eyebrow raised and Miku who is covering her mouth by her hand.

It's really hard to befriend a confusing _and mysterious_ Megurine Luka.

"I'm not sure they have one here. Maybe I should request that kind of ice cream." Kaito says in response. Why the conversation sounds normal when actually it doesn't? "They take my requests, for real. For example… there wasn't a spring onion-flavored ice cream before, and I requested that one. And the result… You can see what Miku-chan's eating right now."

Miku has nearly spitted out the ice cream when she hears that. Then she tries hard to swallow the cold dessert, then she exhales. "W-well, I guess I have to thank you, Kaito-kun."

* * *

><p>"Rin-chan, any recommendation? I completely have no idea what we should watch." Miku says in small voice.<p>

"Hm, eh?" I ask back. Looking at the movie listing, I realize that I have no idea _as well_ about what to watch. "Maybe… maybe Len can choose?"

Len is still looking at something else, he takes a moment before turning at me. "Ah, you're the one who asked us to go somewhere together, so you can choose, Rin. Or Kaito, you're the one who wants to watch a movie. Be responsible."

"Responsible what?" Kaito asks Len. "It has nothing to do with responsibility. I just want to watch, anyone can choose the movie."

"Then, Miku-chan?" I ask unsurely.

"…Why you're asking back at me?" Miku asks back.

Unexpectedly, Luka whips her head somewhere. With a slight confusement, I follow where her gaze falls. A brunette woman in red.

"So it's really Meiko-san?" Len asks—apparently she's the one he had been looking at.

"Did you just say something, Len?" Kaito asks, sounding _not_ like Kaito at all.

"Meiko-san?" Len repeats in a confused tone though he was smiling—no, _smirking_?

Kaito's face lights up for an unknown reason. "Oh, is it really her?" He says as he looks around the crowd. His face goes even brighter when he spots the said person.

Ah, I see… So the one Kaito likes is Meiko, eh? I never have thought it's her.

Miku uses Kaito's shoulder for her support to jump. She waves her hand and calls loudly. "Meiko! Meiko-nee!"

Hearing Miku's call, Meiko looks at her. Her eyes go wide seeing us. She walks towards us in a faster pace. "Hey, Miku-chan, Rin-chan, Len-kun, and…" She looks at Kaito from top to bottom. "_You_. I, uh, forget your name, sorry."

"It's… it's Shion Kaito." Kaito says with a disappointed smile.

"Oh yes! Shion-san, really sorry, then." Meiko looks down and blushes. Then she turns to the rest of us. "How are you doing?"

She pats Miku's head and Miku smiles in return. "Um, I'm fine, Meiko-nee! It's nice to see you again!"

Meiko knits her eyebrow playfully. "Whoa, changing much, Miku-chan? That's good to hear~! And Len-kun is going fine as well, right?"

At this moment, Meiko turns her gaze to Len. But something is off. The smile she gives him isn't the same as the smile she gave Miku.

A forced smile of sadness, worry… or sympathy?

"Yes, of course I'm feeling just like 'the usual', Meiko-san." Len replies. But what does he mean by the usual?

"And Rin-chan~!" Suddenly I'm being hugged by her. "Everything's in the place, right?"

"Right… Right, everything's fine." I say, still processing about what is happening.

But then she whispers into my ears. "How about the dream?"

My eyes widen at the mention of that topic. The dream…? Right, I've told her about this, but I really wasn't expecting that question.

"Nothing, actually." I answer with my voice kept low, looking around to make sure that no one is watching or hearing us. "I haven't had any since he woke up—" I was going to say more, but I stop myself from doing so.

I find Luka is watching at us intensely from about 7 meters away from our standing place. Why is she doing that, as if she knew what we're talking about? But thinking about it once more, she was the one who noticed Meiko's arrival.

There must be something.

Meiko slowly releases her hug, "Rin-chan what is—ah." She steps away from me and looks at Luka with a smile. "Oh. I think I've seen you before… right, at the hospital. So you're friends with them as well? Then, I'm Sakine Meiko, the nurse who works at that hospital. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"…" Luka stays silent, but a smile curls up on her lips.

"…What is it?" Meiko asks in confusement.

"Nothing. It's nice to meet you as well, Sakine-san. I'm Megurine Luka." Luka answers this time. "Please remember that."

What is that supposed to mean?

"I will, Megurine-san… Right, Megurine-san. So, I see all of you are going to watch a movie, but can't choose any, right?" Meiko says enthusiastically. "I'm going to watch this movie, so I think it's better if we watch this together, the six of us—"

* * *

><p>More time passes, more confusing Luka has become. Or maybe, more I want to know her, more mysterious she will become.<p>

Having that thought in my head, 'Luka is a confusing person.' was repeated in my head again and again while we were watching the movie, because we turned out to watch a horror movie.

I _detest_ horror movies.

The Luka thought quickly got buried down inside of my brain when I found out we were going to watch a horror movie. I tried to dig it up by 'chanting' the main thought, but that feeling kept on appearing.

That 'scared' feeling.

While giggling, Meiko says. "Oh, sorry Rin-chan… If only I knew that you'll be this scared, I wouldn't choose that movie."

"It's okay." I say, looking down to the concrete, my mouth is still trembling, making the words a bit shake. "Miku-chan and Luka-chan… weren't scared, eh…"

With a smile on her face, Miku says, "If you think that creatures like that don't exist, it's not scary at all, the movie. Right, Luka-chan?"

"That's right~!" Luka exclaims in joy.

I know it that I just have to do that—thinking that it doesn't exist. _I've known it for a long time already_, but that method just doesn't seem to work on me—I was still screaming, yelling, shaking someone's hand (whose hand?) and covering my eyes when I watched the movie.

Kaito seems to be disappointed that Meiko wasn't scared _at all_. Somehow I know how boys' mind worked at that one, not a bad idea, I think. But what he did is looking at Meiko—I tried to avoid the scene by looking at him, and that's what I got—when there's a horror scene, hoping that she would scream and then he would comfort her. Not working.

But Len didn't seem to enjoy the movie. I think he has something in his mind. It doesn't matter what it is, but somehow, I want him to forget about that for a while and just enjoy this moment together with the others.

I walk to him, and later continuing to walk next to him. I see him looking at me, but he doesn't say anything. So I decide to start the conversation. "Did you enjoy the movie?"

"I did." He says, then smiles widely, like a failed attempt to hold his laughter. But he _still_ laughs at the end. "I-I never thought you would be that scared, Rin." He says between laughter.

"So you laugh at me as well, eh? Nah, never mind, it's okay. It's my own fault for being scared like that." I say. "What about you? You don't seem to be that excited. If… if there's a problem, just tell me, I'll gladly help you with that."

"It's nothing, Rin. It's nothing you should worry about. I'm just looking around and thinking about the things I see—I'm not 'not excited'." He says. "It's the opposite. I feel really happy that I can have some fun with my friends. Thank you very much, Rin."

"But really, it's nothing, I didn't do any—"

"I really meant it, Rin." He says, closing his eyes for a moment. Then, when he opens it, he grabs my hand. "Let's go, Rin!"

Then I get dragged away by him, running to a place I don't know. "W-wait Len, where are we going?"

Apparently Miku saw us running away from the others, and she asks the same question as mine. "Rin-chan? Len? Where are you going?" She shouts.

"The arcade! Now move faster!" He shouts back.

Not complaining, I let myself being dragged like that to the arcade. I smile to myself, knowing that he's happy. If only this lasts forever…


	37. Chapter 37

~~It took longer than what I had expected... I took a week to write 2 chapters, yaaay~ Well, now I'm here with a new chapter... and a good mood. A good mood. Ah~

Ah, I got reminded of that... The new review system on this site. So we can't write our name anymore and have to use 'guest' instead when reviewing anonymously? Ah, how disappointing—wait, that guest thingy is removed yesterday? YES.

Review replies at the bottom author note.

Thank you for all the readers and the reviewers and the ones who favorites and alerts the story! Thank you!

* * *

><p>Chapter 37<p>

* * *

><p>The life goes on in a usual way. The weather, the humidity, the way the sun shines, everything is just like the usual.<p>

The class is in the usual crowd as well when I enter the classroom this morning. People chatting, some doing homework, some are napping, and some are practically doing nothing—watching the class soundlessly.

I can see a group of people are talking near my desk. I put my bag in my usual seat—in front of Luka's desk—then I sit on the chair and greet them. "Morning everyone!"

"Morning, Rin-chan!" A girl replies my greeting. "Welcome to the discussion of the future! The topic in this bright morning is: Which university do you choose?"

I like the greeting and the discussion title—it sounds unordinary, that's why I like it, though it sounds random at a certain point—but are they really talking about the university? I still don't know where to go.

"Perfect place for advice, Rin-chan!" The girl continues. "If you don't know your destination, we can help—maybe we can help, I mean!"

"Destination…?" I ask. "Have all of you made a decision? Which university do you want to go?"

She tilts her head in confusion. "Hey, that's why we're discussing, Rin-chan. That's the main point." She explains. "Actually none of us has made a choice—not even Luka-chan. Usually those smarter people have already choose and think about their future, right?"

Pouting slightly, Luka says, "I am _not_ that smart—if only you knew the truth, you would know what the reason is."

"Oh, actually I've thought about this out for a long time, but never say it to anyone." A boy says, looking to random directions, except to Luka's place. Faking a serious tone, he continues. "You always cheat in every tests and exams."

"Not that—of course I don't." Luka says calmly, though from her voice I can feel she's feeling a bit embarrassed. "Now, just continue the talk."

Another boy in our 'talking group' finally opens his mouth. He has been staring at Luka since I got into the class. "Oh, I just know that side of you, Megurine-san. We really have never been close before. I'm glad I get to know you better now."

"O-oh." Luka looks down to her desk. "Thank you. I'm glad I can meet you as well."

"Hey hey." The girl interrupts—her hands are crossed, the previous scene doesn't seem to please her. "This is not the time to flirt with Luka-chan! Get back to the topic!"

"I am not flirting. I thanked her, not flirting at her." He offends.

While hearing the small 'debate', I think about what they had said. Every meeting, no matter with who, is a thing we should be thankful of. Everyone you meet will exist in your heart—they could have an important role, or they're just 'being there', like a person that makes a cameo in a movie.

But no matter what, they're still there.

* * *

><p>The bell rings, signaling the break time.<p>

The teacher looks at the clock before saying the final line of the lesson. "The lesson ends until now. Don't forget to do the homework and collect it next week." He says as he walks out from the class, ignoring the students' groans—it starts to be a usual thing for him to hear the students' groans.

I stretch my arms up then put it down to the table along with the rest of the upper part of my body. Then I hear Luka giggling behind me.

"Tired from the lesson?" She asks me.

"Not really. But stretching your arms feels really good, Luka-chan." I answer truthfully. "Like, five times fresher."

She blinks twice with her eyes looking at me, then she stretchs her arms up as well. "You're right, Rin-chan. It feels better."

"Right?" I give her my widest smile—or grin. But then everything falls silent after that. Awkwardly silent. I break my smile. "Um, okay. I need to go outside to see Miku-chan now."

"Go then," She smiles. "I need to work on something as well. Have fun together!"

The way she says it, sounds like we're going to have a date or something similar—but no, of course, I'm not going to have a date with Miku! Sure it's a wrong thing for female and female to like each other in that way.

Or it isn't?

"Okay Luka-chan, we will!" I reply her as I walk away from my desk, to the door. "Bye!"

I wait until she replies before stepping out from the class. There's no new sight in the school corridor, it's just _the usual_. People are chatting near the window, or passing by, or looking at the information board. I start to walk, putting myself in the 'crowd in the hallway at the break time'. And after some seconds walking, I notice something is not usual.

The sky is dark—thick clouds are hanging in the sky, blocking the bright sunlight. I say it's unusual because the weather was really bright in this morning. I wonder, will it rain? I had completely forgotten about my umbrella, if it rains when the school is over, I won't be able to go home without soaking wet.

But forget about the possibilites about what will happen when the school ends, let's face what's already waiting—Miku's class, 3-B. The sign can already be seen even at the front of my class, but it takes maybe 10 seconds walking. I'm just about to set a foot inside the class, but Miku has already come out from the class. She notices me immedately and gives me some sort of surprised face.

"Rin-chan! I was just about to go to your class, but now you're here." Miku says.

"Well, I want to see you, so I come here. Maybe we can have some talk?" I say.

"Um… Okay, nice idea." She says awkwardly while looking around frantically, as if looking for something. "Maybe… in front of the class is okay? Just… walking around here while talking."

I feel something is not right about her. "Miku-chan, what's wrong? Are you sure you want to walk instead of finding a place to sit?"

I turn to Miku to see her fiddling with her long hair. "That's the reason—I've been sitting too long inside the class, so I think having some walk would be good—but if you prefer sitting, then maybe we have to sit—"

"No, no I'm okay with walking around." I cut her. "It's just… unlikely for you. Remember back then in the second grade when you always sat on your desk even at break times?"

We start walking at this point. "Ah, that's a different case—I had too many things inside my head. But never mind about the thing that had happened—it doesn't matter to us in this present time. So, do you have something to tell or ask?"

"Not really, actually." I say truthfully. I just want to see her to know how she's doing right now, I have nothing to tell her. But I have to find something to talk about. "But Miku-chan… Do you think it's strange that it's cloudy right now, when this morning was really sunny?"

She looks to the window, observing the sky. "Ah, you're right, Rin-chan."

The end of conversation.

"Oh, right, Miku-chan!" I suddenly ask her, loud enough for people to hear me and look at us before getting back to the activity they previously did. "Do you already know, which university do you want to go?"

She stops dead in her track. Then she laughs sheepishly while looking at me. "Um, yeah, we're in the third grade already… No, I haven't thought about it. Rin-chan… have a choice already?"

"No, I haven't. That's why I ask you, because I have no idea." I say with a serious voice. "But this is important, and I haven't even made a choice…"

"Hm? Don't worry, I haven't made a choice as well, Rin-chan." Miku raises her eyebrows. "But usually you already have plans on things."

I continue to drag my feet, following Miku walking around the school. Thinking about it again, I really have my future not planned. I sigh. "Miku-chan should continue in the art departement, your drawing is good. Maybe some years later I can see your name as an illustrator." I say. Though I say that, my own future is still unplanned and unthought of.

Miku smiles. "Thank you for the compliment, but… really, if it comes to drawing, Len is definitely better than me—he's the one who taught me, after all."

"It doesn't matter, Miku-chan. Student is always better than the teacher." I smile as well. "Maybe if _now_ you think his drawing is better than yours, you will change your mind a year later."

"But then I will feel bad to him?" Miku asks.

"Actually, no. That's just how life works. You have to defeat him, Miku-chan."

"I have to?"

"You have to."

"I have to be defeated?"

I blink twice hearing the weird answer coming from behind me. Miku and I turn our head at the same time, with eyebrows slightly raised.

"Hello, Miku-nee and Rin-senpai." Len greets as he walks casually behind us. "The weather isn't great but I will say it's nice."

I nod, agreeing with him about the weather. But it feels strange to be called that, 'Rin-senpai' when usually he calls me only with my name. Not even Miku calls me like that. But this 'senpai' thing makes it feels a lot different. Though it is supposed to be like that—because it's the fact that he's my underclassmen—I still feel strange.

"You don't have to call me with 'senpai' like that. It feels strange." I say as I tilt my head to the right.

"But it's the fact that you're my senpai, Rin-senpai!" Len says while laughing—I know he's doing this in purpose.

"And Miku-nee." Miku adds. "You make me feel old or something like that. Why don't you just call me 'Miku' like usual?"

"But you're older than me, Miku-nee." Len says sternly, as a matter of fact.

Miku bites her lip, making her words a bit slurred, "I'm only 4 months older than you…"

He moves to my side and walks along. "Of course that's not the real reason—I think people will find out that we're living under the same roof sooner, Miku. Then people will start making up rumors, making their own conclusions, so why don't we make a little lie, that we're siblings? I can say that you're my adoptive sister, and you can say that I'm your adoptive brother. It's simple."

"That's…" Miku says, doubt in her voice. "You think something like that will really happen?"

"It's just in case." He says. "We'll never know what will happen in the future, right? But sometimes, things are just predictable for some people."

* * *

><p>We walk around the school for a pretty long time—about 30 minutes. We visit various places, the library, the laboratory, the art room, the music room, pretty much almost the whole school. And that's when the bell decides to ring. Miku runs back to her class after bidding her 'bye'.<p>

Len and I are still walking back to the class slowly, and then a teacher sees us and asks us for help again—the same teacher from before who asked for my help some days ago. "Kagamine… both of you, can you help me with these things?" She calls us from a currently unused classroom, a huge grin on her face. "You can easily say to your teacher that you were helping me, it's easy, right?"

Len smiles—no, not grins—back at her. "Sure, we will gladly help you if you're in need for help?"

"Right, I will help as well~" I add.

"Okay, thanks!" She says. She turns to the books on the desk, and pats it slowly, making the dusts on the books fly into the air. "These books, it has to be moved into the library. But with this many books, I won't be able to carry all of them." She pauses. "So, each of you can carry ten or more books, and I will take care the rest of them."

We take the heavy books from the desk and walk out from the room. The teacher once again says thank you before we walk out. Silently, we walk together to the library, no words coming out from our mouth.

I just realize how _eerie_ the school hallway is. So this is the situation of the hallway when everyone's studying inside the class—it seems to be a completely different place when break time has come.

The books are heavy, but I have no problem with that. Actually I feel glad that I can help someone, and I think Len's feeling the same way because he doesn't say anything since we start walking from the class.

Then I realize how awkward it is. Walking with someone you like in an empty hallway where no one else in. Isn't it a perfect place for… sort of 'confessing your feeling to someone you like'? No, I can't confess to him _now_. It's too sudden and unprepared.

Now I wish he would say something to break this awkward silence.

"Rin…" He suddenly speaks, as if hearing my thoughts. "Do you have someone you like?"

"Eh?" I yell unconsciously when I hear his sudden, unexpected question. The books in my hands shift a bit from my slight jump. And he asks that after I think about that, that makes it even more unexpected.

He hasn't figured it out yet, right? I hope he hasn't.

With my face flushed bright red, I ask back. "Why… why did you ask something like that so sudden?"

Then he laughs at me. "Oh, so that person exists~" He sings happily, like a child who have just figured out something by himself. It pretty much makes him proud. "I've thought that you have, there's no way you don't like anyone, Rin."

I look down to the floor, at my shoes. "Yes, of course that person exists…"

"And you're not going to tell me." He says confidently, though I can tell there's something different with his voice. "Think about that twice, Rin. I have told you who I like. Now it's your turn."

"W-what is that?" I say, and it comes out with slight stuttering.

"I'm just kidding, you know." He says with a monotone voice this time. "It's okay if you don't want to tell me. Besides, I'm just curious."

"Oh, okay. You're too kind, you know?" I say, a smile creeps up to my face. "But I…"

'But I would have told you already if it wasn't you.'

Am I really going to say that? Is this the day where I confess my feeling to him? Is that a good way to say that he's the one I like—love? Aside from myself, what would he say if I really tell him that?

Several thumps are heard from behind—it sounds like books are falling to the floor—snapping me out from my thoughts. What could have fallen?

But then I realize that I'm walking alone, Len is no longer walking beside me. It takes a moment for me to put pieces together and realizing what is probably happening. Looking to my back, I call him, "Len? Is everything ok—"

I stop talking immedately. Like what I have expected, books are sprawled on the floor 5 meters behind me. However, when I see him sitting on the floor with his head hanging down—

Putting the books I am holding on the floor carelessly, I quickly rush over him. Going down to his level, I ask him worriedly, "A-are you okay?"

He looks up to me slowly, but his eyes don't seem to focus on anything. "…Ah?" He asks back weakly. "I-it's just…" He doesn't finish his sentence, but he leans his head on me, his eyes barely opened. I can hear his breathing that doesn't sound calm at all.

"Are you going to pass out…?" I ask softly, hoping that he could hear me. However, he doesn't answer the question—I don't think he can even hear me—and continued to stare at a blank space in front of him before slowly closing his eyes, his body becomes limp after that.

Looking down to him, I start to shake his shoulder, hoping for somekind of reaction. "Len?"

No answer, no movement, nothing. I think he has passed out. I take a deep breath, and exhale it while looking up to the ceiling. I can feel tears on the corner of my eyes.

What do I have to do?

* * *

><p>~~This is the bottom author note. I'm not going to say anything about the story but I will reply the reviews.<p>

Guest: Yes, Kaito-Meiko! I just have to put that into the story... Thank you very much for the review!

Iliketotouchyourmoen-san: AN UPDATE! Heheh. Ah, the errors, I'm really sorry about that, my English isn't that good. R-really? 300 reviews? *thinks it's a way too much* And did you say beautiful? Beautiful Dreamer! That song by Luka—and composed by NataP—is the reason why I make this fanfiction, but actually it has nothing to do with the song... Thank you for loving (?) this story. And thank you for the review!

KawaiiSushiWithSweetSauce-san: Your name makes me want to eat sushi... Well~ The arcade! I love it as well! Luka is mysterious, isn't she...? Thank you for the review!

RPR-san: I don't understand what you mean by the usual Kagamine tragedy... But tragedy is tragedy, just... read the story, I don't know how to explain it -_- No, I don't write the scene but it was mentioned in the beginning of chapter 17. Thank you for the review!

Mukuro234-san: Currently not—it's a one-sided for now. I don't know~ I may change it so Len would like Rin back... Or maybe not... I haven't decided it yet~ Thank you for the review~

Guest: Did you read the chapter? Thank you for the review~

Guest: Everyday? o_o Here's the update! Thank you for the review!

LunaLapis-san: Oh, you're welcome! Kaito-Meiko! Yeah, I like the Luka in this story, it's fun to write about her with this kind of personality~ Thank you for the review!

It's just unusual that I get more review than usual... Well, it's good and I'm happy! Again, thank you very much! And that's it. See you next time!


	38. Chapter 38

~~**There's no horizontal line break in this chapter!** Because this chapter is short. Well, sorry.

Sooo... Everyone likes reviewing anonymously? Me too. Hey, it's a pain logging in using the mobile web (or maybe it's just my phone?), it's not entirely my fault! But be honest, did anyone have the idea to put 'Guest' as a name when reviewing anonymously before this site changed the review system?

Review replies, here.

Guest: I read them, but... what is the 'usual' tragedy? Character death? Unrequited love/feeling? People may have different thoughts about the 'usual' tragedy so that's why I asked... Rin is the responsible one...? Yeah, now I think it's a bit... unusual. And thank you for the review!

Guest: *laughs* Oh, of course she will~ I can't wait to write that chapter as well~ Um, Len said he was kidding when he asked Rin to tell him who she likes... like that, more less. And about Len... You mention it, so maybe I'll make him die immediately—no, I'm kidding! Thank you for the review!

Neelh-san: Thank you! And thank you for the review!

And finally, thank you for the support, everyone~!

Note: Any character other than Rin, Miku, Len, Meiko, Kaito and Luka is just a random person, not OC, and I'm not referring to any other Vocaloid character either. Whoo~

* * *

><p>Chapter 38<p>

* * *

><p>"It's okay, probably he's just tired."<p>

I raise my head, meeting a pair of amber-colored eyes that are looking into my own blue-colored eyes. Her facial expression, however, is opposing my own—hers is just usual face that shows particularly nothing, when I probably looks like a lost puppy.

"You know," She continues, "You really don't have to worry that much. And what about you?"

"What about me?" I ask slowly, trying to look away from her. Her gaze is getting creepier in some ways.

"You looked like you were about to cry, back then when I saw you on the floor with him." She says. "Have you calmed down?"

I quickly erase the remaining tears at the corner of my eyes, which I just notice when she mentions it. "Yeah, I'm completely okay, no need to worry about me."

"I'm glad hearing that." The nurse replies. "But… think about it, he hasn't waked up until now."

My eyes fall on Len again, who hasn't opened his eyes until now, but it looks like he's sleeping peacefully. Somehow it makes me don't want him to wake up, but at the same time I want him to open his eyes, so I would know that he's okay.

I probably have that look on my face once again—the nurse gives me that sympathetic look. "You haven't told me what happened. You were with him, right?"

"I am…" I say, looking back at her. "We were just helping a teacher out by carrying some books. Then he just… passed out."

"Just like that?" She asks. I only nod in response. Then she puts her hand on his forehead, probably checking for his temperature. "Hm, he's burning up a bit. It's okay though, probably the result of exhaustion."

"I see…" My mutter is barely heard, even by myself. Then I begin to swing my legs that are hanging from the chair. "I really hope… he's okay, then."

"He's okay." She says, reassuring me for the tenth time, maybe. "There, he's waking up."

That statement catches my attention really well. I immediately whip my head to him. I watch intensely as he slowly opens his eyes, revealing his blue orbs. It takes him some moment to open his eyes properly and look at the nurse, though he's still looking tired.

"You're okay, right?" The nurse asks while looking down at him.

He lets out a forced laugh, which sounds strange with his weak voice, "Ahaha, I'm fine. I'm just tired…"

Though it was Len himself who stated that, somehow I doubt it. I think he's that type of person who hides his feeling, telling people that he's okay and acting like he's fine when he actually isn't. After all, he had once told me not to treat him 'as if he was a sick person', probably that's the reason. But why is that? What if he got really sick and he still didn't want anyone to help him?

"You're sure about that?" She asks. "Then, I won't help you at all if you fainted again."

"Eh? Seriously?" Strangely, it's me who get surprised by that. Does she really mean it? She couldn't be that heartless and careless, right?

"Of course not, Rin-san." She says with a sigh. "I care about people around me—what do you think about my reason to be a nurse here? Because I was forced? Definitely not." She finished her sentence and stands up from her sitting place. She goes away without saying anything, making me a bit confused. However, she comes back after a short moment with a glass of drinking water.

"Here. I think you need some water." She says, offering the water to him.

He smiles. "I think I need it…" Then he gets up from the bed—or more exactly, it's a rather unsuccessful attempt to get up.

And so, I help him by supporting him with my arm. My other hand take the glass the nurse had offered and give it to him. "Here." I say.

He turns his head to me. "Thanks, Rin." Then he takes the glass from me and drinks all the water inside that small glass. He must be thirsty, seeing him emptying the glass in less than 5 seconds. "Thank you very much." He returns the glass to the nurse.

"You're welcome." She puts the glass away, somewhere. "Have some sleep, then. I need to go somewhere—a meeting with the teachers, if I'm not mistaken—so, I'll be leaving you here…" She trails off and she begins to examine me from top to bottom. A 'why' question appears in my head in some milliseconds, but she continues talking. "Rin-san, you're staying here, right?"

"If you need me to watch over him, then I will." I say without hesitation.

She smiles—a victorious smile—and starts to walk away. "Well then, I'll leave now. Get well soon, Kagamine."

After some more footsteps from her heeled shoes, finally those footsteps can no longer be heard. The sound of the closed door follows after that.

Then again, it's just the two of us. Since the silence makes me feel uneasy, I decide to speak and maybe doing that can start a conversation.

"How are you feeling now?" I awkwardly say.

"I'm fine. No need to worry." He replies. "Then, are you okay with being here? You can go back to the class and continue studying."

"Of course no." I say. "I just can't leave you alone here."

"You're a third grader—you need to study harder! This is your last year in the high school…" He says with his eyes narrowed. "And that's _definitely_ more important than watching over… me, yeah. I'm becoming a burden again."

I don't immediately retort back at him. That's not right that the lessons are more important than him. Since I met him, back then inside the dream, I always think that he's an important person to me.

Someone I want to talk to. Someone I want to be with. Someone I want to see. And someone I want to protect.

Definitely not a burden for me.

"You're equally important to those lessons. Don't think like that, you're not a burden for me. Not at all." I say without thinking. And when I realize that I have said that, my face heats up.

His reaction is rather slow. "…Really? Thank you Rin, I'm happy to know that." He says with his voice getting drowsier at the end.

I can't look straight into his eyes anymore—I quickly search for something else to stare at. "N-no problem, just… Just go to sleep, Len."

I'm more than relieved when I look back at him and find him already asleep. But my heart is still beating fast when I look at his face. I quickly look away again and I pull out my phone from my pocket and start to play a random game on the phone.

Why do I feel really embarrassed?


	39. Chapter 39

~~Oh, so 'Guest' isn't something you type, but something that appears when you don't put any name on the box... Yeah, I understand.

And... I've decided something... about this story. I changed something.

RPR-san: I'm killing you (←speaks in a serious voice). Well, that will happen later, you just have to be patient and wait~

harmonise-san: Waai, thank you! Well, he's still alive... See? *shot*

LunaLapis-san: Rin and Len moment is always cute~ Thank you for the support!

Thank you for the reviewers~! I've received 90+ reviews so far, so when will it reach 100? Ahahaha~ And for the readers—thank you very much for still reading this story!

* * *

><p>Chapter 39<p>

* * *

><p>The sun is shining brightly in this peaceful day—I hope it will stay like this until the day ends, unlike that time when it suddenly turned cloudy at the noon.<p>

I met Luka in my way to the school, so now we're walking together to the school while talking about _many_ things about the getting-harder school lessons. Luka probably doesn't think the same way about that, since she's smarter than me—but no, that doesn't mean I'm being pessimistic about my intelligence—but the conversation goes on until now.

Soon, we enter the opened school gate and the scene changes. Previously we were looking at the roads and houses, now we're seeing fields and huge buildings. The school we attend is not a small school, but not a big and expensive school as well—I guess it's in the middle, but I like it. Next year we will graduate, become a college student, and leave this school. It seems to be really fast.

We enter the school, and go straight to the shoes locker. I change my shoes without looking at it—again, I'm looking around while trying to put my feet into the shoes.

"Rin-chan, you might trip or something if you don't look at the shoes." Luka warns me. She's standing near the school halls with her indoor shoes already.

Luka's warning makes me a bit startled. I quickly look at my shoes and try to wear it properly. "Um, yeah, right Luka-chan." After I was done with the shoes, I join her and we start to walk together again, now to the class.

"What are you looking for, Rin-chan?" She asks with her mature-sounding voice. "You seem to be doing that a lot lately."

"Nah, it's alright, you don't need to worry about it~" I say, reassuring her that there's nothing.

I know Luka won't believe that, but at least, that will stop her from asking more things. Luka is a mysterious person after all. She's not that type of a silent person 'and it makes her mysterious'—she's calm and only talks when it's needed, it's completely different with a silent person. But what makes her mysterious is, she tends to know something we didn't think she would know.

And I still don't know what secret she and Len are hiding from me.

Then, I was looking for Miku. I haven't seen her for a while, and it makes me curious because it seems like Len is 'disappearing' from the school as well. I'm afraid something bad is happening because it happens after that day, when Len suddenly collapsed. I haven't seen any of them since that time.

It can't be that bad, right? They can at least send a short mail to me so I won't feel as worried as this. It affects my grade, actually. Once I caught myself thinking about that instead of the test I was supposed to be doing about 2 days ago, and the result doesn't satisfy me.

But the lesson and my friends are equally important. Sometimes it confuses me about which one to be my priority.

"I haven't seen Miku-chan for a while." Luka suddenly says. "I wonder what's happening to her."

"You're right. I'm wondering about the same thing." I say. "I haven't seen Len as well. Do you know something about them?"

She looks at me with a rather cold stare, but then she looks away and at that time, her stare returns to normal. "No, I don't."

Luka stops walking when we reach the library. "Ah, Rin-chan. It's okay for you to walk to the class by yourself, right? I just remember that I have something to do here."

I guess some students want to be tutored by her, and the time before school starts is a perfect time to study. "Of course it's okay, I won't get lost." I say jokingly. "Then, I'll be on my way. See you later in the class, Luka-chan."

I continue my walk to the class. The school isn't crowded _yet_, so I can only see few students walking on the hallway. Then I spot a familiar long teal-hair in twintails, walking a few meters ahead.

"Miku-chan!" I call as I walked faster so I can catch up with her. The person turns her head to me and widens her eyes in surprise.

"Oh, Rin-chan…" She says, not-so-excitedly. But I can see that she's looking tired, and her voice lacks of enthusiasm. "We haven't seen each other for a while, eh? Good morning."

I tilt my head. "You look tired—are you okay?"

She's in the middle of yawning when I ask that. It's kind of funny seeing her yawn being cut like that, but I feel a bit guilty as well. "Oh. I… spent the whole night doing my homework—I guess this is the side effect." She smiles despite of her sayings.

But then, I don't remember having any homework. Perhaps it's just her class?

"I wonder why we haven't seen each other for about a week, even though we're in the same school." I say, earning a confused look from her.

"You didn't get my message?" Miku asks me carefully. "I wasn't at the school."

"I think I didn't receive anything?" I ask back. "Anyway, where's Len? He usually walks with you."

She narrows her eyes and gives me a hard look. "You _really_ didn't get my message?" Then she takes out her phone from her bag. I do the same thing, but I put my phone in my pocket so I take it from there. I show her the inbox of my mail, and there's certainly no new message from her. She looks at her phone again before her face turning into an even more confused one. "That's strange."

"Now, you really don't need to use that to tell me, right?" I ask. "And your message has something to do with Len, I guess?"

She puts her phone away and continues walking with her head looking forward. "I was in the hospital with him."

"Hospital? Why?" I ask.

"He's hospitalized…" She trails off. "Wait, you didn't get any message from him as well?"

My phone definitely needs a service.

* * *

><p>I can't help but walking along the street while looking at my phone, thinking what error has caused this phone to be like that. I'm not into repairing things, so I guess I'll have someone else to repair this, after I go to the hospital, of course.<p>

Soon, I enter the huge building. Everything is painted white inside—colorless, as if it's not giving any hope to live inside a colorful world. I begin to think it's supposed to be painted with colors instead of the usual 'white'.

It takes less than five minutes for me to reach the room that the receptionist had told me. I stare at the door before pushing it open—the door is white as well, it could be at least different with the wall…

What greets me behind the door isn't what I have expected. The person who's sitting on the hospital bed turns his head to the door after hearing the sound.

"Ah, Rin! You came!" He says, almost yelling. From his voice, I can tell that he's happy, though. But what makes him really excited like that? "I'm getting bored here, of course I'm happy seeing you here—someone to cure my boredom."

That's the real reason? "Yeah. Miku told me that you're hospitalized, so I decided to come." I say as I look around to find a seat.

I was going to pull a stool so I can sit when Len patted the bed. "Just sit on the bed."

"Oh, okay, if you say so." I walk to the bed and sit at the corner. I notice there's a sketch book, along with a pencil on the bed. "Were you drawing?"

"Before you came, yes I was." He says. "I've said I was bored, right…?"

"Um, can I see it?" I ask shyly.

"Of course, no need to ask, actually." He says, laughing a bit. Yes, I haven't heard his laugh for a while… That's why my heart gets fluttery when I hear it.

I turn the book front side back and start to open pages backwards, so I can see his recent drawings first. And his recent drawing is a chained person inside an empty room. It reminds me of the dream where we met for the first time.

He looks at the book as well, probably curious about which drawing I am looking at. "I just finished drawing that one. Reminded of the dream?"

"Actually, yes, of course." I say. "And like usual, it's good. How could you draw something that good?"

"Well, that isn't something I can answer—I don't even remember since when I started draeing." He says. "But Miku's starting to be better than me at drawing, you know. This is what you meant that I have to be defeated?"

I sweat-dropped. "Well, yeah. We're talking about drawing ability. But you two are sure great, compared to me."

"But you're better than us at something else, right?" He asks. "Then it's okay~"

I return the book to him, and he put it on the nearby table. Somehow I just find myself examining the hospital room—everything's unsurprisingly white.

"May I ask you why you're here? What happened?" I ask.

"Ah, that." His smile falters. "How to put this… Well, since that time—you know what I am talking about, don't ask—Miku thinks that my health is getting worse. Then Miku thinks that it was better if I stayed at home to rest so she didn't let me go to the school for days, and I think she didn't go to the school as well. Then Miku thinks that my condition is 'bad enough', so she insisted me to be hospitalized. If she insists… well, I can't really refuse. Besides, she doesn't need to look after me that often if I'm hospitalized, so that she can go to the school again."

I smile hearing his explanation. "You think a lot about her as well, Len."

He smiles back at me. "Of course I do. If I didn't, just think how selfish I would be."

"And what do you mean by your condition is 'bad enough'? Is something wrong?"

"Whoa. Looks like I have to tell the truth now." He says as he looks away. So he has been hiding something from me, after all. "Do I look okay to you?"

"…Maybe I would say 'yes'?"

"I don't feel healthy at all since I woke up from the accident." He says, telling me the truth. "And the fact that 'this' is hurting doesn't help at all. I guess… I can do nothing else."

I look at where his index finger is pointing. His head.


	40. Chapter 40

~~Chapter 40 already? I haven't even finished the 43rd one! But really, I didn't think the story would be this long...

So, there are some changes to this site... That... Now people can see the number of favorite and follow, eh...? That's... Erm, ah... So the thing that I actually like is the horizontal lines or whatever is that! It looks better~ Though I usually use my phone, so it really doesn't matter...

Review replies.

harmonise-san: It's okay, I know logging in is a pain... Um, yeah, I feel bad for Len... Yay, thank you!

RPR-san: Waa, thank you! But... every chapter ends with a cliffhanger, really...? I don't really think so...

Mukuro234-san: Thank you!

Thank you for all the support! I appreciate every little part of it! Enjoy the next chapter...

* * *

><p>Chapter 40<p>

* * *

><p>"Kagamine-san, please—I really meant <em>please<em>—pay attention to the board." The teacher class, snapping me out from the world I was in—my thoughts. "Your score is getting worse lately so you really **have to** pay attention."

I find my mind going away from the class again, and the teacher's call manages to bring me back. I sigh. This isn't the first time I zone out in the middle of the lesson. And the reason is always the same—I'm thinking about Len.

"I do understand that myself, sensei. I will pay more attention to the class." What she said is true, about my score that is getting worse. My score never has been above 70 for some weeks. I clench my fist, starting to get pissed off by that fact that I can't concentrate inside the class.

But the lessons in the school aren't the first thing, right? My family is more important than the lesson—though this one relates to each other. My parents definitely would be happy if I got a good score.

And friends. What do you want to do in your life without your friend? The world will turn into monochrome—colorless, and boring. And friend could help you if you have a problem you can't tell your parents.

"Rin-chan, you're daydreaming again." Someone warns me from behind and I am sure the one who sits behind me is Luka.

I turn my head to her to smile and say thank you for her. That's it, that's why you have to have friends. "Thanks for reminding me, Luka-chan." I whisper in reply.

But, can I really pay attention to the board when my mind is occupied with something, something that 'can't be forgotten easily'?

Luckily enough, I can pay attention to the teacher for the rest of the lesson. Before I know it, break time has come. The bell rings loudly, and the teacher stops writing on the board. She quickly ends the lesson and walked out from the class.

I'm not in the mood to go out from the classroom, I decided to stay in my class, on my desk, doing nothing but daydreaming until Luka calls me.

"Rin-chan, you have a problem, right?" She asks. "It's pretty obvious, since you couldn't seem to concentrate on the lesson." She walks up to the desk in front of me, and she sits there, backing the board. "I'm sure it's quite bothering, so… Do you mind telling me what it is?"

* * *

><p>Actually I hate it seeing him like that. It has been a while since this started to happen—his health is getting worse, and as the result, he's getting weaker and weaker.<p>

"Rin, you came again." He says when I step into the hospital room. "How was the school?"

I lower my head a bit. "Everything's fine." I lie. My grade lowers, I can't concentrate on the lessons, and Len is not getting better. It's not fine at all.

"Then, why are you looking… unhappy?" He asks.

I wasn't expecting him to ask like that, and I didn't realize that I wasn't smiling, so I quickly put a smile on my face. "W-why would I be unhappy? I'm happy like the usual."

Lying feels so easy here.

He stares at me as if he didn't believe in me—I really think he doesn't. "Actually you can tell me if you have a problem. But it doesn't seem like you want to do it…" He looks down to the floor after he said that.

He knows that I have a problem even though I didn't tell him. It impresses me. And I'm happy that he actually cares about me—he always cares about the others, actually that's it. I just silently smile to myself as I walk closer to the bed and sit at the other side of the bed.

Of course it makes him turns around and faces me. When our eyes meet, my heartbeat fastens. I can hear it beats really hard and it makes me afraid that even Len could hear it. It seems that it's unheard to him, luckily enough, because he continues to stare at me like nothing is happening.

It's just… his eyes lack the usual light—it usually looks brighter. What I can see now are dull-blue colored eyes. And his skin has gotten much paler. Just seeing that has made me feel sad.

"How is the weather?" He asks me.

"The sun is shining brightly in the sky—looks like summer is coming." I reply.

"Summer." He repeats after me. "I miss the summer. But… looks like I won't be able to enjoy summer again."

"Don't say things like that." I say, not even thinking of my words before. "You will get better by the summer time and then we will enjoy summer together!" I try to convince him _and myself_.

He looks a bit surprised with my sudden outburst, but replies anyway. "But for me… Being able to have a walk to the park with you is already enough."

I know what he's talking about. When he just got into the hospital—that time his health was still better than now—we used to have a walk to the park, the indoor park of this hospital. Like those time before he got discharged months ago.

But as his health got worse, walking became hard for him so he had to use the wheelchair to move around. It didn't look convient enough to move the wheelchair by himself, so I was there to help him to get to the wheelchair. Actually it was fun, walking around while pushing the wheelchair—I don't know why, I had that happy feeling when I did that—and at the same time we were still able to have a talk.

"Then let's go! I'll take care of the wheelchair—you only need to sit there and I'll bring you to the park!" I desperately cry.

Giving me a sympathetic look, he says, "No, Rin. I can't. I could push myself as usual if I—my mind—still wanted it, but seems like my mind… has gave up as well."

I should have understood it. Having a walk with him is just my mere wish, and I would do anything to make it real. I shouldn't be this selfish—forcing him to go with me is something that my selfish-self wants. And I should have understand that he's hurting—he's _suffering_. Did I just ask him to fulfill my wish and make him suffer even more?

"Never mind about that, and sorry." I quickly say. "I… shouldn't have asked that. I understand."

Being the kind person, he only smiles at me, "It's okay—actually I'm the one who should apologize."

"For what?" I ask back.

"Eh…" He looks at me with confusion on his face. "I didn't even try and I already said that I can't. I mean… I should at least try before saying that, so I'm really sorry about that."

But there's something I don't understand. He keeps on pushing himself for the others' sake—like he doesn't really care about how he would feel after doing that, as long it would bring happiness to someone else. That sounds like a sacrifice. He's sacrificing himself for the others, but why would he do that? The most important thing in our life should be ourself, right?

Because we're living for our own sake, not for the others.

Or maybe I am the one who is just too selfish to think like that.

I look at him while smiling, "Don't even dare to try. Stop pushing yourself too hard—you do nothing but making the others worry about you _and_ you're just making yourself feeling worse by doing that, so…" I trail off, thinking of what I should say next. "Just rest and get better—this is a hospital after all."

Then he looks away from me, "…Okay. Just… let me apologize for one last time. Sorry that I seem to be stubborn or something similar to that. And… thank you, Rin, for telling me that."

"It's actually nothing, but you're welcome, Len." I say in reply.

Strangely enough, he laughs weakly at me. "You said it again, 'it's nothing' when actually it means something. Think about it, you always do that, Rin. Is that your habit?"

"N-nothing like that! It's just I feel like I didn't do much to that person so, um…" I quickly say as heat rises on my face. "But you're right, it has become a habit already."

He laughs again, "Right?"

I laugh with him after he said that. That moment is nice, laughing together with the one you love. I don't care about our situation, or condition. As long as we can laugh together, I think it's already fine.

After a sort of long silence after our laugh—because we don't say anything, it becomes silent—he speaks. "Rin, I feel sleepy…"

I look at him—sure, I can see it as well from his eyes that start drooping. I think I have to leave and give him some time to rest. "Ah, sorry for keeping you awake, then. I will leave now." I say as I stand up from the bed and sling my bag over my shoulder.

"It's not that… I mean…" He says. I stop walking away to listen what he's going to say. "Don't you want to see the dream again?"


	41. Chapter 41

~~I had no time to update yesterday.

Neelh-san: Ah! Do you think so? Thank you very much~

RPR-san: Ah, no. People need to sleep everyday... That kind of sleep. And _that_ is a review! Thank you very much for the review!

luthor112-san: I feel guilty as well making them like this... But thank you!

Kagamine Len-san (?): *speechless at first* N-no, they will definitely forgive me, ahahaha! In reality, Len can't die. So... It's okay if I kill Len in a story—it's just a story after all—don't you think so? Ahahahaha! (?) Thank you for reviewing!

And of course, thank you for all the readers! Now enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter 41<p>

* * *

><p>Once I see the endless hallway in front of my very own eyes, I instantly know that something is <em>definitely<em> not right about this. I continue to walk inside the hallway, reaching for the end I can't see yet—I can't see it but I know there's a door that would take me to another side of this place because this isn't my first time being here.

When the door finally can be seen, I quicken my pace a bit and run hurriedly to the door. I grab the doorknob and swing it open. As what I have expected, there's a person inside. A boy with the same blond hair and blue eyes like me—only his features looks more 'manly', of course—looks straight into my direction. As if he was waiting for me.

With a warm and sincere smile, he greets me. "Welcome to the dream." He says as he steps back, allowing me to get into the room. This feeling is just weird—maybe because this had happened before? Or it's because of something else?

I remember the first time going to this kind of dream. I was in a hallway, then I open a door that leads me to a room with doors in it—it says that behind those doors were other dreams—and a chained-up boy. The current situation is pretty much the same, but minus the chains.

He continues his explanation, "This is a place where you can choose your dream. I don't know how you got here but—"

"Len, stop it." I say sternly. "I just _don't understand_ about this. Why am I here? And why are you acting like when we met for the first time—as if you didn't know me?"

After hearing that, he sighs and looks at the doors. "But I'm serious about this 'choosing your dream' part—you can proceed to the door." Right, he's not chained anymore, so that means he can get in and out from this dream just like me. "…Proceed to the door and enjoy your dream."

"…You never ask me to get inside the dream, except on that time when we just met." I eye him suspiciously. "And I'm not going to enter that 'plotted dream', I would rather stay with you here."

"You—_we_ aren't supposed to be here _at all_, Rin. So it's better for you to get out as soon as possible." He says in a serious voice. "I don't even know how I enter this place again, but somehow I just did…" Then he walks up to me and starts to push me towards the door, much to my dismay.

"W-wait, I will get in, but let me ask something first." I say, hoping by asking this might stop him from pushing me. "I guess this has something to do with something you've been hiding from me. And I'm sure I am involved in this. So, mind to tell me?"

My trick works—he stops pushing me after I finished talking. Slowly he gets his hands off from me and he steps aside. "Rin, I'm sorry but I think it's better if I don't tell you." Now he stands beside me, looking blankly at me. "I just don't want to make you angry, or disapponted or even sad. I just want you to be happy, only that."

I widen my eyes. He says he wants me to be happy? But _how_, exactly? And he still hasn't told me anything about it. Then how would I know that I would be happy?

"Or maybe it's better if you forget me and just move forward—"

I feel myself being pushed again, but the feeling is different. I know it isn't Len who pushes me right now, because I can see him and both of his hand—it _can't_ be him.

"Wait, you don't have to force her like that." Len says—like he's the one to say that, he pushed me before—to someone behind me. Or at least I think there's someone else behind me.

The person keeps on pushing me towards the door, not hearing him at all. I start to make an attempt to turn my head by ninety degrees to see who that person actually is, but once I move my head, that person holds the sides of my head and makes me unable to turn my head.

What is the meaning of this? Why does this person force me to get into the plotted dream?

Why do I have to move forward and forget him?

Something just passes through my mind, making me think why it didn't come to me earlier. That scent the person has, it's not a new thing to me.

I widen my eyes in realization. Of course it's her! She has previously appeared in my dream before this, that woman with pale-pink hair…

"Wait, Lu—" I'm pushed into the other room before I can finish my sentence.

What I see is a good dream—a really good dream that I don't even want to wake up from it. But, in the middle of that happiness, I feel this isn't right. Something is wrong with this.

* * *

><p>I smell flowers in the middle of 'medicine scent' inside the hospital room. I meet Meiko who is picking up the flowers in the vase and change them with the fresher ones. She quickly notices my presence and look at me for a while before giving her attention back to the flowers. "Good afternoon, Rin-chan. How was your day?" She greets and asks me.<p>

"It's good. Or maybe I'm just trying to make it good. Ah, it's more to a 'normal' day, actually." I say. "However, last night I had a dream and it bugs me a bit."

"You're not talking about the usual dream, right? You mean… that kind of dream where you met Len-kun?" She asks me.

"No, actually I don't quite understand about that but…" I trail off, not knowing what to say next, or how to explain it.

"Go on, I'm still waiting." She says as she looks back to the flowers in the vase with a satisfied smile. "It's done." The satisfaction in her voice makes me want to see the result as well, but when she sees me looking at the flowers instead of continuing the story, she snaps. "What are you looking at? Just continue, Rin-chan."

I jump up in surprise. "Yes, ma'am!"

I take a deep breath before starting to tell the story. "Actually what I saw last night was a really nice dream." I say. "But at the same time, it feels so wrong and out-of-place. I know that something important happened before I saw that dream, but I can't really remember it. I wonder why…" I seated myself on the couch, and Meiko follows me shortly by sitting beside me.

"But then, it's nothing you should worry about. I will ask Len, maybe he knows something since he's the only person I've encountered in my dream." I continue.

I pause when something passes through my mind. He isn't the only one, I've met someone else inside of that dream, and that person is… Ah, this is weird. I think I've found out who the person is, but I can't really remember it. Somehow… I think it's related to the weird feeling I had when I saw that dream.

"He's asleep." Meiko says shortly as she glances to the bed. "Well, actually that's unusual—he's usually awake at this time."

She has mentioned it—I've never found him asleep when I came to visit before. "How long has he been asleep?" I ask as I look at the bed, examining his features.

He doesn't look that pale before.

And I can hear it, his breathing doesn't sound normal.

I decide to look away and pretend that I don't hear anything besides Meiko's voice. "You came to visit him yesterday, right? I saw him already asleep since that time and he hasn't woke up until now."

"O-oh, I see." I mutter. I hope that nothing's wrong with him sleeping longer than normal. But by hoping like that, it's the same like I actually know that _something's wrong_, he's not okay, he's getting worse, but I'm merely hoping that everything's okay.

It feels like lying.

But, not so long after that, I hear the shuffling of the sheets. Shortly it gets followed by a groan. I glance at the bed and find Len waking up.

"…Meiko-san?" He calls when he sees her.

"Yes, what is it?" She asks as she walks closer. "How do you feel? Getting better?"

He releases a long sigh and buries himself deeper into the sheets. "Not really." Comes the muffled reply.

"Which question are you answering?" Meiko asks again.

"Both."

"No?" Meiko raises her eyebrows. "That's… Well, you've been sleeping for a whole day—I mean almost a whole day—and you're not feeling better?"

"…But you should have expected this, Meiko-san. I will not get better at all. After all, I've told you that—"

"And that's right, Len-kun!" She suddenly speaks with a weird cheery voice, cutting off his word by purpose. "Rin-chan is here to visit you, so you have to be more… optimistic."

The atmosphere changes after Meiko mentioned my name. He slowly pull the sheets off his head and turns to me. The expression on his face shows disappointment, as if he doesn't like the fact that I'm here. "Rin." He says in an unexpectedly serious voice. "Why are you here?"

That question surprises me a lot. I really didn't see it coming, and the way he says it actually hurts me. Why is that? Doesn't he want me to be here? No?

Maybe it's a way to say that he doesn't want me to be here, he doesn't need me. My heart hurts when I hear that coming out from his mouth. I am supposed to be okay about that—it doesn't concern me, I'm here if he wants to, and I'll go if he wants to. But that isn't the fact—it hurts.

It's because he isn't the reason. The reason is me. _I_ am the one who wants to be with him, not the opposite.

"I've told you… to forget about me, right? So why are you here? Is it because you still remember me?" He says. "After all, I'm just a burden for everyone—I don't need to be remembered."

What he's saying is nonsensical for me. When did he tell me to forget about him?

He frowns as he casts down his eyes. "You don't remember about the dream…"

Then it hits me. The weird feeling when I was having a nice dream. Maybe because of that? I met him inside of my dream but I can't remember it.

But it's still nonsensical for me. What has gotten into his mind? I can't forget him that easily and he's supposed to know it.

Then, what's the reason?


	42. Chapter 42

~~I was planning on updating yesterday... evening, but I didn't have time, sooo...

Um, anyone has heard Mitchie M's new song for Miku's birthday? It's called Birthday Song for ミク and they sound so real and—okay, onto this (crappy) chapter... I think it's crappy, sorry. I think I failed at putting emotion in this chapter, I apologize for this.

Oh! 100+2 reviews already! Thank you very very very much for everyone who has left review(s)! Review replies is here.

Guest: Luka's role is still unrevealed, eh... Oh, of course I will, thank you for the review!

Neelh-san: Um, yeah... Yeah. I have nothing to say, actually. But thank you for the review!

ChibiLove-san: *makes a note* "ChibiLove-san is not dead." No, don't cry forever~ But then, it's obvious that at the end... Never mind, I hope you can read the rest soon~ Thank you for the review!

And as usual, thank you for all the support, readers! I hope you can enjoy this chapter...

* * *

><p>Chapter 42<p>

* * *

><p>"Rin-chan."<p>

I look up from the floor I am sweeping—I'm on duty today, so now I'm holding the broom and sweeping the class with almost no one in the class—and look at the door, where the voice comes from. Miku is standing right in front of my class, she's holding her bag tight, ready to leave the school. But maybe she has something to tell me before that.

"Miku-chan." I shortly answer. "What is it?"

"Will you walk home with me?" She asks with a small voice.

"Oh, sure, if you're okay with waiting until I finish sweeping—never mind, it's almost done." I say and quicken my movement, but still sweeping carefully. The dust would be blown to many directions if I wasn't careful enough. After I was done with the job, I leave the class and go over Miku who's still standing there, waiting for me. "Sorry for the wait." I say with a grin.

"Ah, it's alright. Let's head home." She says with no expression as she starts to walk ahead me. I quickly catch up with her, and soon we're walking together back to our own homes in a silence.

Miku has been more silent than usual—I feel like the old Miku is here again—and she zone out more often. I know she's probably thinking about Len.

Of course.

"Miku-chan, you okay?" I ask, merely to fill the silence.

"I'm okay, but thank you for asking, Rin…" She says. "Rin. May I call you just with your name, 'Rin', like that? We… have been friends for a while and I think it's the time to break the little formality we have here." Her voice lights up when she says that. Then she adds a huge smile, "Please?"

Now think about it—why do I still call Miku with a suffix when we actually have become good friends already? It could have been dropped earlier if I realized it before.

"Eh, why not? That idea just hit me now. It's… something we could actually do earlier, right Miku?" I say, trying to call her without the suffix. It sounds better, actually.

"That's right. Thank you then, Rin." She says while looking down to the road, as if hiding her face. But I think she's happy with that—and me too. I feel happy as well.

We continue walking with some conversation. The thing we're talking about is not really important, but at least that makes it less awkward—walking together in silence always feels awkward, that's why. Then in the middle of the conversation, Miku suddenly pulls my hand, motioning me to stop.

"Rin." She says, the previous cheerfulness from her voice vanishes. "Actually I need to visit Len. I haven't… seen him for a while."

I notice that we are standing in the middle of an intersection, one of them leads to the main road and that's where the hospital is located. So that's why Miku pulled me before, to prevent myself from walking any further.

If she wants to visit him, of course she can go—I think he would be happy as well if she came to visit him. Me, on the other hand, actually have no plan on visiting him. It's weird, considering that I came to visit him almost everyday. But yesterday, when he asked why I was still there, somehow I'm not sure he wants to see me again.

Though I still want to see him, if he doesn't want to see me, then I won't. I mustn't be selfish.

"Do you want to come with me as well? I will be really glad if you come with me." Miku asks after that. This question is hard to answer—I, of course, want to visit him, and she would be glad if I did. But Len probably doesn't want to see me, so I don't know which one to choose.

"Eh, of course, no problem, Miku." I say unconsciously. So that's what I choose, going with her to visit Len, though I know I have to face the fact that he doesn't want to see me. After all, I can't really refuse if people ask, anyway.

Unless if he was asleep—then I would be able to get out 'safely'.

* * *

><p>Len is awake.<p>

Luck isn't on my side.

"Ah, Miku and Rin… Good afternoon." He greets weakly.

He _greets_ me? I thought he doesn't want to see me… I must have misheard it, then.

"Afternoon, Len." Miku greets back with a smile. "How… are you?"

"…I can't really say that I'm okay." He says—it sounds like he uses all his strength to say those words. "But, hey Miku, I still can say something to you."

"What is it?" Miku asks, curiosity is sure in her voice.

"I want to apologize, for many things." He says. "Like… for being such a burden again and again. I-I know you have many things to do, but you spend your time just to watch over me. It's just… I feel like being selfish."

"No, it's not selfish at all." Miku quickly says. "I don't want to do those things without you so I would rather stay here, waiting until you get better."

"What if… I didn't get better until… until I died?"

What… What did he just say?

Miku just stands there, speechless and I am in the same state as her. Why would he say something like that?

"No…" She mutters slowly. "I don't want that to happen." She says it calmly, but I am sure she feels the other way.

Tears are falling down from her eyes.

"I… I really don't want that to happen." She says between sobs. "I-I just don't—"

"Miku, I'm sorry, did I hurt you by saying that…?" He asks, cutting her. "I was just… I…"

She comes closer to him and hugs him. A really tight hug. "That's not going to happen. I-it won't."

He slowly hugs her back and just stares to the ceiling, not saying anything, but tears start to flow down from his eyes as well. "M-Miku, you don't need to cry… for me…" He pauses as he takes a staggered breath. "But… thank you, Miku."

I'm just standing there from the beginning, watching the whole scene with my very own eyes. I'm merely a watcher, not the actor. I don't feel jealous at all, but… Why does it feels really sad? As if they would really be separated from each other—as if he would die soon.

I start to reassure myself as well—it isn't going to happen. He will get better. I hope he will get better.

Why am I starting to doubt that?

At the end, I find myself crying as well. I step back to the couch and sit there while still silently crying to myself, until I hear someone calls my name. Len.

"Rin?" He says with a very small voice, almost inaudible but I can still hear it well. "I want to… say sorry as well… for yesterday. I really didn't mean to be that… harsh."

I stare at him, not giving my answer immediately. But I smile between my cry. There's no way I can get mad at him. Of course I will forgive him—though he didn't really do anything wrong.

"Will you… forgive me?"

"I don't even get mad or sad at you because of that. Of course I will." I say.

Finally he smiles back at me. "Thank you, Rin… I will never… forget that…" He trails off and starts to stare at a blank space again. He stays like that for while and it makes me a bit worried.

Is he okay?

"Len, how… I mean, are you okay?" Miku asks, getting concerned as well.

"Miku…?" He asks rather drowsily. "…Ah, will you let me close my eyes and sleep?"

She looks up from the floor she has been looking at. And with her hand clenched, she answers, "Of course, Len. H-have a sweet dream…"

Miku looks back at me once Len has closed his eyes and sleeps peacefully. She still has tears on the corner of her eyes, and she quickly wipes it off. "Rin… you can leave if you want to, I'm… staying here, with him."

I want to stay beside Len as well, but I know, my mother won't let me. I can only sigh and bid her goodbye. "I guess I'll be leaving now. See you tomorrow, Miku."

"Yes, see you tomorrow, Rin." She says monotonously. "Please be careful on your way home…"

I walk to the door in a fast pace, not even looking back at any of them. Once I've stepped out from the room, I frown. I tried to be a bit positive, but I can't. I feel… the _whole_ situation around me won't get better.

Len won't.

Miku won't.

So I…

Biting my lip hard, I fasten my pace even more. Along with my flowing tears, I enter the darkness under the night sky, heading home by myself.


	43. Chapter 43

~~Updating once every three days isn't that bad.

Honestly I don't know what to reply to the reviewers, and I can't think of anything... I feel unusually tired. Sorry.

Special thanks for RPR-san, harmonise-san, luthor112-san, ChibiLove-san and Neelh-san. Thank you very much for the reviews~ And for the others, the readers who didn't review, you will still receive a 'thank you' from me because you're still reading this story.

Thank you very much for the support, thank you.

* * *

><p>Chapter 43<p>

* * *

><p>No good, this is no good. Len keeps on getting worse. There seems to be more medical devices attached to him everytime I come to visit—I can't count it anymore, they are attached to different parts of his body, <em>too many<em>—and by the looks of it, it looks like his life really depends on those machines. As if he would die without it.

But talking about death, they said that his condition will not get better at all after seeing the progress he has. If this continues, he will eventually die. No one can really do anything at this situation—the damage on his head affects his brain, and it's nothing he can handle. He doesn't have a great start with being sickly, that's why.

Besides, he hasn't opened his eyes for about a week already. I shouldn't expect that much.

"And that's the end of today's lesson. Don't forget to do the homework and bring it on time." The teacher's voice suddenly enters my previously blocked up ears. I wasn't even listening to the lesson, how am I supposed to do the homework?

I sigh. I have to ask someone about the lesson and homework. That was my planning until someone taps on my shoulder. I turn back and face Luka, who is holding her notebook open, showing her notes about the lesson and homework. My face turns into a brighter one, knowing that she wants to lend me her notes. "Thank you very much, Luka-chan!"

She releases her grip to her notebook, making it falls freely to my hand. She doesn't answer my gratitude, but she speaks in a low, dark voice. "But promise me you will focus on studying more and forget about that problem. He wouldn't like it seeing you like this."

That's enough to surprise me. The way she says it sounds like she knows about my problem. Luka is mysterious enough from the beginning, but I don't know that she would say something like that. And does she mean Len when she mentions 'he'? I know she keeps on giving me clues about what she's hiding with Len, but every 'clue' she gave just makes me even more confused.

And it's nearly impossible to ask her—she will tell me an even more confusing clue or disappear before I can even say a word, although that's better than Len, who doesn't even tell me anything. But telling clues like this doesn't really help.

Because I am the only one who's trying to solve this out. I don't think I can do that, and I don't think I have enough courage to tell anyone else about this.

I don't know why, since I met him inside the dream, my life starting to change a bit. Why is that?

* * *

><p>The door will be always closed—for me, at least—and the room has never been really bright. It's not helping at all when I can only peek inside through the small glass panel on the door. From what I can see so far, it's just machines that surround a bed. A bed where he lies motionless.<p>

And almost lifeless.

So I'm just sitting here on the waiting chairs in front of the closed-up room, doing nothing but looking blankly at the door. If I can't stay next to him, then being here is already enough—though the while wall and door separate us. If this is the closest I can be, then I will be here. I hope he can feel that I'm here, waiting for him.

But the thought of him dying can't leave my mind. Of course I don't want that to happen, but why this has to happen to him? He doesn't deserve this. I know everyone likes him—his kindness. I know he still has many things that he wants to do. And Miku would be left alone again.

Isn't this a little bit unfair? Why it has to be him from all the people?

I start to silently sob with my head lowered. I don't care if anyone passes by and gives me a weird look—I think it's common enough for people to cry inside the hospital.

It isn't long before I feel someone taps my shoulder and pulls me closer, like giving some comfort. Slowly I look up and see Meiko. That doesn't make me stop crying immediately, though.

"Hey, I'm here to deliver good news and I found you already crying. If you haven't known the truth, then why are you even crying?" She says. Maybe her words don't sound nice, but she's just trying to enlighten the atmosphere, I know it. Besides, she really said that she has good news—

I perk up at that. "Good news? What is it?" I ask.

Meiko smiles. "Len-kun's getting better slowly. Isn't that great?"

I continue to look at her, not saying anything. Is that true that he's getting better? Strangely I doubt my hearing this time, but if I'm not mishearing anything, then… I don't know how to express my feeling after knowing this. "Really, Meiko-nee?" I finally say.

"Then, why would I lie?" She asks back with a huge smile. "You should be really thankful, Rin-chan."

"Of course I'm feeling thankful—even more than just feeling thankful." I say while wiping the tears on the corner of my eyes—they're threatening to fall if I don't. But those are tears of happiness. If crying is how I express my happiness, then I don't think I can stop crying anytime soon.

* * *

><p>"Good morning Rin!" Miku chirps happily as she walks into my classroom.<p>

"Morning, Miku!" It's still pretty early in the morning, the class hasn't started and I'm already sitting in my desk.

"Luka-chan hasn't come yet, has she?" Miku asks as she takes Luka's seat since it's empty. "I thought she's that kind of diligent person who comes to the school early. Am I wrong or is there something unusual here?"

Actually it's unusual for Luka to come after I arrived at the class. Usually I meet her while I'm walking to the school, or she's already here when I come. But today, there's no sign of Luka. "You're not wrong—usually Luka-chan comes before me but I don't see her today."

"Ah, like that?" Miku frowns, looking a bit disappointed. "Well, I'll just tell her some other time, then."

I nod, not knowing how else to react to that. I don't even know what Miku is going to tell Luka. Then I look away from her, watching the sky from the class' window. The sky looks so clear. There's no cloud in the sky—not even the white one, and the trees look so green. I think this is what you call summer.

Miku suddenly clasps her hand altogether. "Ah, that's right. Rin, I have good news! Sure you want to hear it!"

I look away from the window and smile at her enthusiasm. I haven't seen her like this for a while. "What is it, Miku?"

Being looked straight into the eyes, Miku quickly looks away with a slight blush. It makes me feel a bit guilty that I'm the one who caused that. "Um, sorry Miku I didn't mean it. You can continue."

She looks a bit relaxed after I said that. Then she continues talking. "They said Len is getting better." She says quickly, I can tell she's hiding her real feeling—because she looks like she can scream and cry in joy anytime. "Then, I hope he would be able to fully recover before summer ends, but I don't think that's going to happen." She pauses. "Well… Maybe there's something we can do together in autumn… Um, sorry if I'm saying too much at once."

"It's okay, you're not saying too much at once." I giggle. "I'm really glad that he's getting better—then you can spend some moments and have some fun with him again, right? I guess it must be very exciting~" I say, acting like I just knew the news. Think about it, Miku still hasn't know that I see him often—I met him inside the dream before this, and now I visit him regularly.

And what make it worse, I _love_ him. I love him but I don't tell her anything about this.

"No, I mean… the three of us." Miku says, looking away from me. That red tinge returns to her face. "I want to spend my time with Len… and you, Rin."

I feel like I have betrayed Miku by loving her best friend on her back.


	44. Chapter 44

~~5 reviews, it's good... So far, it's good... Review replies here:

harmonise-san: When you reviewed, this story hadn't appeared on the archive, that's cool (・ω・) Ehehe, Rin loves Len, Rin loves Len~ And your question about Miku... Your judgement isn't bad, you're right.

RPR-san: Luka... Maybe this chapter will help? I don't know -_- Uooh, really? Thank you very much! Peace!

ChibiLove-san: You don't have to like her, it's okay... Ah, that, my brain wasn't working (?) at that time, so I didn't know what to say, like that -_-

Echolinux-san: Thank you! It's okay, I understand your feeling, it takes a lots of effort to review using the phone... orz

Neelh-san: I feel sorry for everyone... *the author feels that way as well*

Thank you for the reviews! And for the readers, thank you for reading and favoriting (this isn't a word?) and subscribing and everything~ Now, to the explanation chapter part one, chapter forty-four~ (what the hell is that? -_-)

* * *

><p>Chapter 44<p>

* * *

><p>I intertwine my right hand to his and raise it up a bit. I have to clutch his hand even tighter because he's not clutching my hand back—of course.<p>

It has been like this for a while. Though Len is slowly getting better, he still hasn't opened his eyes. And I'm doing this again, waiting patiently for him to wake up. It's a bit different than before, though. At that time, I still can meet him inside the dream. But now, I can't meet him in the dream anymore.

The last time I met him in the dream, he asked me to 'get out' from the dream and 'forget about him'. Until now, I still haven't got any idea about what he meant by that. He said it's nothing he could explain, but that makes me even more curious.

Maybe, if I have the chance to meet him again inside the dream, I will ask him about that. I _need_ to know what it was about, no matter what. I have to make those answers come out from his mouth.

If only I can meet him and talk to him again. Now, that's just merely a dream—dreaming about a dream. That dream is harder to reach.

A soft sigh escapes from my mouth, giving me another little thing to listen other than the beeping machine that doesn't stop beeping—beep, beep, beep, following his heartbeat.

If I can't have the dream, then it would be better if I could ask him in person—but then, he had to be awake. Once again I glance at his face. No, those eyes are still closed tight.

Why doesn't he wake up? I'm waiting for him to wake up _again_. Things I've been doing lately are going in a circle, repeating the same things again, being in the same situation again.

Then, maybe if I close my eyes and sleep, I will see the dream again and meet him there. So, I slowly put down his hand—but still clutching it—and rest my head on the bed while I sit on the floor, silently hoping that I can see it again. The dream.

* * *

><p>It seems like I got my wish granted—I see that dream, again. I'm in the room where I usually spend my time with him by having a chat. The room still looks the same as before, nothing has changed. But this room seems to be really empty, as if no one has been here for a long time.<p>

"Finally you came, Rin."

I whip my head and turn myself around to the voice behind me—the voice I've been waiting, the voice I want to hear. I just don't know how to express this happiness.

"Len…" I become speechless in instance while preventing myself from jumping to him and hug him because that's what I really want to do, though I don't think it's a right thing to do.

"I've been waiting for you to come… I have something to tell you—something I've been hiding from you. I think I have to do it now, I don't have anymore time…" He says as he walks to the couch to sit on it. My eyes can't leave him even once, so they follow his movement when he's walking. And that's when I notice something.

He's chained.

I don't immediately ask him why he's chained _again_, but I decide to think first before asking. Maybe things are just repeating—he got into this place, then chained by someone to somewhere and it makes him unable to wake up. But would things repeated by itself without any reason?

"Sit, Rin." He commands after he takes his own seat. I quickly walk to the couch across him and sit, so now we're looking at each others' face. "There's an explanation to this. First, about why I asked you to get out from here."

I nod, listening to him intensely. Finally he's going to tell me about the things he has been hiding from me. It feels as good as getting a love confession from the one you loves.

"Humans… _we_ live in our own world while sometimes, we encountered this place called a 'dream' when we're asleep." He says. "A dream isn't just a made-up something that we see when we're sleeping, it's another world we visit unconsciously. People go straight to the dream they choose—we also do this 'choosing' unconsciously. The example… People get a nightmare after watching a horror movie—while sometimes, in some rare occasions, people visit this place and are able to choose their dream consciously."

"You said… I'm the first person you see in here, and before that you never had seen anyone." I say, more to a questioning statement.

"That's it." He says with a smile. "People just passed by this place—and it happens rarely—while we are use this place as a room just like the living room inside the house, minus the television. Humans are supposed to be in the real world, not the dream world. Basically we're in a place we're not supposed to be in."

"It doesn't make sense." I say. "If humans aren't supposed to be here, then why are we here? And you're chained—it means you're trapped here, right? Then why are you trapped in a place you're not supposed to be in?"

"You know that I arrived here much longer before you did. At that time, I hadn't been chained yet. I don't really understand what was happening at that time—what would you do when you suddenly found yourself _alone_ in an unknown place?" He continues. "I tried to find a way out through one of the door, but after going into the door and saw a sort of dream, I ended up being here again. Then I tried another door. The only difference was the thing I saw inside, at the end I still ended up at this place. I tried again several times, and always ended up the same. And that was how I realized that I was trapped here." He finished.

I nod as a sign that I'm still listening. I can't help but keep on repeating his explanation—I never knew anything about that, unable to get out from here must be a really scary thing.

"That was until the owner of this place noticed that I was there, going through the door again and again—it was a violation. Then, I needed to be 'interrogated', but the owner had something else to do at that time. There was a chance for me to 'flee' while waiting for the interrogation through those doors, so I got chained." He says. "The owner just told me while she was interrogating me, so I had no idea why I got chained suddenly at that time… Ah, I skipped an important part of the explanation…"

"Wait, wait a minute." I cut him. "What do you mean by the owner? Is it like… the owner of this place? The dream?"

"Yes, indeed." He says, as if it is obvious enough. "Or maybe you will prefer to call her as a… Dreamer."


	45. Chapter 45

~~This thought: "If I have the chapter and time, why would I wait for 3 days to update?" makes me update this.

As usual, replies:

Shadow-Bear123-san: Thank you! I hope you will continue reading until the end!

RPR-san: RPR-san! This chapter is longer! Luka as the owner it's pretty obvious... And that other question... has been explained in the previous chapter? At first he wasn't trapped but then he violated the rule of that place so... yeah, that part? Or you're asking about the second trapped session? (←what does this mean?) I'm a bit confused myself, so... just ask if this chapter doesn't make it clearer orz and PEACE!

Kanrei-san: What sounds pretty deep...?

Neelh-san: What... what implies that? o_o

harmonise-san: An update! Eh, you don't like Luka...? Nah, it's okay~ And yes, it's a love triangle...? This chapter will clear it up~

Thank you for the reviews, reviewers!

45 chapters... Never thought it would be this long... It's because of all the supports you guys have gave me! Thank you so much! Erm, this is something I should say at the end of the story, not now. But I think it's okay to say it... Thank you! Enjoy the explanation chapter part 2, chapter 45.

* * *

><p>Chapter 45<p>

* * *

><p>"A Dreamer?" I repeat after him. "And this Dreamer is a 'she'?"<p>

"Right." Len says while nodding. "Now let's continue the explanation."

"It was supposed to be like this—I got interrogated, then we had to negotiate about my punishment. But then, something else happened." He pauses and looks at me with a smile. "You came before the Dreamer managed to interrogate me. Then it was where… this problem started."

I was the cause of the problem? Then why didn't he tell me earlier? It really _does_ have something to do with me.

"If one person is not even allowed to be here, then how about two? Then both have to be punished." Comes a voice from behind me. I look back without waiting for anything.

Luka stands behind me while leaning on the couch. I have thought it was her, but I wasn't sure because I was catching glimpses of her instead of seeing it clearly. But how did she get in? One is not allowed, two is even more not allowed.

Unless if she's the Dreamer.

That's right, she's the other person who hides a secret from me along with Len. They're hiding the same thing. The clues she has gave me finally make sense once she shows up here. One thing stays in the back of my mind, though. She said something about sacrifices—that he would sacrifice his live for the others' live.

"Of course, she—I mean, _you_—had to be punished as well—especially after I found out that she was able to break the chain." She says sharply while giving me a look, but not hard enough to be called a glare. "And remember, I don't say anything about the punishment is going to be easy. Don't you realize that you're ruining the stability between this place and the human world?" She continues while walking around the room. "Then, I'm not going to tell you about what exactly the punishment is—it's going to be executed soon, though. So I'm keeping him inside of this place. And I think you're wondering about why you didn't get chained as well."

I nod. She gets me really well. _Too_ well.

"He didn't want you to be involved in this, so he chose to take your punishment."

"Eh?" I immediately turn my head to him. He doesn't want me to be involved and chooses to take my punishment? How? Why did he even think about me—am I that important to him? But that doesn't mean I'm not happy that he actually thinks of me—I'm happy, of course I'm happy. But does he really need to take my punishment like that? Is there no other way to solve this?

How about himself—is he really okay with this? Luka said that the punishment is not easy, right? Then, again, why is he doing this for me?

Sacrifice. He takes my punishment, sacrificing himself.

_"He's a nice person, actually."_

_"Well, yeah. Since the first time I met him, he's always nice to me. Not only to me, he's nice to everyone, without exception."_

_"That means he would die for someone he barely knows?"_

At that time, Luka said it as if it was merely a joke, and I'm a bit disappointed at myself because I just realize it now. She wasn't joking. She was giving me a clue. He barely knows me, yet he's taking my punishment—that was what Luka was trying to tell me.

And 'he would die for someone he barely knows'.

The punishment is death.

"Wait, no!" I suddenly yell in realization. "The punishment! Wh-what is the punishment?" I can feel my heart beating really fast, as if it was going to break my rib cage. After realizing the punishment might be death, panic rushes in.

Luka just turns her eyes at me without even moving her head. "I have said I'm not going to tell you, but if you insist, then I will. But then, if you think the punishment is death, then you're wrong."

"Eh?" I ask in response. A part of me feels a bit glad, but I can't feel completely glad because I know, Luka is a person who plays with her words a lot. I think that phrase is meant to be 'translated' into a different meaning.

"Death isn't a punishment—death has never been and will never become a punishment." She says. "Death is a fate. Every single human will die, only no one knows when. What I'm going to do isn't 'killing' him, but only shortening his lifespan."

And I thought what she meant isn't something better than death. I really shouldn't expect too much from this.

"But why it has to be like that?" I ask in a loud voice again, screaming on top of my lungs. My voice is breaking, though. I can feel the tears in my eyes are threatening to fall. "Why do we have to be punished at the first place? It doesn't make sense! And do you even have the right to _cut_ someone's lifespan?"

I see Luka's face changing into a sympathetic one when I accidentally look at her direction before covering my face with my hands and cry.

This is unfair.

This is unfair.

This is why I think life is unfair.

I feel someone hugs me, probably trying to comfort me. It really feels comfortable, though I don't think it changes my feeling.

"It wasn't like that…" He whispers into my ears softly. "It was really _my_ fault, I was the one who started all of this, I deserve this, not you, Rin."

I take a deep breath to calm myself down a bit. "But Len… don't you love your life? Don't you think your life is precious? If you do, then why do you do this?"

"My life means nothing without someone…" He says, probably talking about Miku. "Someone I can't really describe with words. Well, she's the most wonderful person I've met in my life. I love her kindness. Hahah, does that confuse you? Does that sound strange?" He laughs. He laughs between tears and sadness. "Then, it's kind of sad that I haven't even told my true feeling to that person."

This is not going anywhere. I can't change the punishment or his decision anymore, Len is the one who will have his life 'cut'. If that is what he wants, then it's okay for me.

It's okay.

I guess there's nothing else I can do with this. But at least I want to tell him my real feeling—the feeling I've been keeping to myself—before it was too late.

"There's something I want to tell." I say, finding my voice isn't as shaken as before. "I-I want to say thank you for doing this for me. I didn't think I would even cross your mind. Though I hope it was better if none of this has to happen, I think, if I were on your place, then I will do the same thing for you and that's because I love you."

I've said the main part. I've confessed my feeling to him. I feel the weight from keeping that inside of my heart has been lifted.

"Actually I had been keeping this to myself—I never told this to anyone, not even Miku. That's because I feel guilty to her." I say truthfully. I feel it strange for those things to be able to come out easily from my mouth.

He laughs after hearing me. "You really don't need to feel guilty to Miku, she will surely understand so you don't need to worry." Then he pulls away from me, but still looking straight at me. Maybe it's just my feeling, or is he looking a bit red? "W-well, thank you, Rin. I really didn't think you feel that way about me."

He smiles. It hurts knowing that I won't be able to see that smile anymore. It hurts a lot. Looks like he has something in his mind, and he's about to say it when Luka suddenly interrupts. "We don't have much time now."

I look at her, who was still standing there, not even taking a seat. "What do you mean by that? Do I have to get out from this place?" I don't want to go yet. I want to be by his side just a little longer.

"Everything's going to be back in its own positions. I, the Dreamer, will not go back to the human world anymore. So I have to erase my existance from that world by taking people's memories about me, except you, Rin, because you're involved in this, this is a special case." Luka explains.

I give her a look of disbelief. "No one except me? Not even Miku or someone else you know? Friends from our school?"

"They have nothing to do with me or this place." She says coldly, which makes me hurt a bit inside.

"But they're always there with you—you enjoy being with them and you do things together, right? How could they have nothing to do with you?" I ask. If Luka really thinks that way, I'm not sure I will forgive her.

She looks down to her feet. "This is something I learnt from the human world—lying. Covering up the truth, and told people the opposite." She explains. "And I found out that the lies people make are actually something they want. But they're unable to have it, then they lie—even to themselves—to 'make it seems real'."

"And humans are so full of emotions." She says sadly. "I think humans are really lucky to be able to feel that. I envy them. But there's nothing I can do about it, I won't become a human, it's not possible."

"All the things I've had with all of you are something I treasure the most. I just want to say thank you for everyone and everything. I know most of them won't remember me but… those memories are still here, inside of me." She finishes. I really never thought that Luka has that thought inside of her head before. It makes me feel sad.

"Not only that. I need to finish this because it ends today. His life is going to end today."

That soon? She didn't tell me before that he's going to die today. Now it hurts even more.

"Hey Rin, it's okay." He says, still having that sad smile on his face. "Even if we didn't meet in this place and got this punishment, I don't think I can life for a long time. That's why it's better if you keep on living, Rin. You're the one who brings smiles to people's face, after all."

I really didn't do anything. I only try to make things around me become 'fair'.

"And Rin." He continues. "Do you know why I'm doing this for you?"

I don't answer. I don't want to talk—my voice will break if I try to speak while holding up my tears. So I slowly shake my head.

"Do you think I will do this if I don't feel the same way about you?" He smiles. "That time when I opened my eyes and saw you there—the promise you fulfilled… I realized that you're the one who will always be here for me…"

As if saying a goodbye, he says, "I love you, Rin."

* * *

><p>Was it the end? Does that mean I can't visit the dream world and see Luka anymore?<p>

But more importantly, was it the last time I saw Len's smiling face?

Was it?

Forget about the sacrifice, forget about the love confessions. Forget about the happy moments inside of the dream.

And hope that this is just a nightmare.

* * *

><p>Someone opens the door. I can hear the sound.<p>

I wake up from my sleep and slowly open my eyes. I'm feeling surprised that I was able to sleep through the night on the floor with my head rested on the bed without aching anywhere. I blink several times to erase my sleepiness and after that I turn my head to the door. Meiko is standing there with her eyes wide.

"Rin-chan…" She mutters as she looks at me.

"Yes?" I answer. "What… is wrong, Meiko-nee?" That worried look on her face rarely shows up, unless if something really bad happens.

Something bad is not happening to Len, isn't it? Isn't he getting better? Though I think that way, I still turn my head to him, who remains asleep on the bed. Nothing has really changed, he hasn't wake up. But there are tears in the corner of his eyes. Was he crying? Why was he crying?

I get up from my sitting place, which is the floor, and reach his face to erase the tears. But when I touch him, I flinch.

He's cold. _Really_ cold. Is he supposed to be that cold? Confused and panicked at the same time, I whip my head to Meiko who's still standing near the door. She is looking down to the floor and with her head lowered, I can't see her face. But why is she only standing there but not doing anything at all?

"I-I'm sorry, Rin-chan… It can't be helped anymore, and I'm not helping at this moment—there. I have become a nurse for a pretty much long time, but something like this always makes me cry. Why do I have to work in a cruel place where people born here, but some of them die here as well, anyway…?"

Suddenly I remember the dream from last night. But it was just a dream, right? I'm dreaming of being in the dream world. Yeah, a nightmare I had when I was sleeping. Merely a dream. But I can remember it really clearly, sure it wasn't a 'plotted dream', it was a reality inside the dream.

I was hoping that it wasn't real, let the dream become a dream and reality become reality.

But, that sound which I just notice…

Why didn't I hear it before?

"BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—"


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

* * *

><p><em>"—but why it has to be that song…?" I asked timidly while playing around with the microphone Miku had gave me.<em>

_"Eh, what's wrong?" Len asked me. "That song doesn't seem to be 'Rin', does it? Then I will pick up another song, something that will make you sing~"_

_It didn't work—seems like the main point is 'I have to sing'. Actually any song was fine for me, I was just making up excuses because I really didn't want to sing in front of them, especially him! It was too embarrassing!_

_But he wanted me to sing, so I thought he had to face it if my voice turned out to be bad. "It's okay, you don't need to pick up another song, I will… sing."_

_"Oh! Go, go, Rin-chan!" Miku cheered from the background._

_"Well, if you said so~" He sounded really happy. "Then I will start the song."_

_He selected a song by pressing some buttons and soon the music started to fill the room. My part was at the beginning, so I started to sing as well. At first I was still feeling uneasy because I had never sung in front of my friends before. But after he joined singing, I felt that I wasn't alone. There was someone else who sang with me. Besides, he had a good singing voice, so instead of focusing on my singing—though it wasn't needed at all, we were just singing in a karaoke, not performing in front of public—I listened to his singing, with that way I could freely let those melodies come out from my mouth._

_The song ended soon, and I was feeling a bit disappointed. I still want to sing with him._

_"Whoa! That was really cool! Your voices blend really well!" Miku clapped with a fascinated look on her face. "The two of you should sing together more!"_

_"She's right! It was amazing!" Luka said from behind the camera, along with another clapping that I thought belonged to her._

_Len grinned. "Well, thank you~ Actually Rin is such an amazing singer! Why did you refuse to sing at first? Was it because you don't want people to know your hidden talent?" He jokingly said to me as he pulled me closer to the camera._

_"Actually, no! I'm not that great in singing, you are the one who is really great in singing. I never actually sing like this." I said truthfully._

_"That isn't right at all! Rin, you don't have to be that negative—you're a great singer and that's the fact! Don't even deny it!" He said, still with the same grin. "And more importantly, that was really fun! Rin, we should sing more!"_

"Hm?" I hear my mother from behind. "Oh, Rin, you're still watching something?" She asks.

I turn away from the screen and look back at my mother who is peeking from the door of my room. "Yeah. Do you need my help or something? I will stop watching, then."

"No, I don't. But you said that you're going to Miku-chan's house. It's almost noon." She reminds me.

Really? Yes, I told my mother that I'm going to visit Miku today for studying and doing other things, having fun in the weekend. I think she said that I can go to her house around noon, so I look at the clock and find out that it's almost noon. I turn back to my mother and grin. "Eh, that's right. I guess I will start preparing." I say as I close the window and shut the computer down. Then I walk to my room to get changed.

His voice keeps on repeating inside of my head.

* * *

><p>"Finally you came, Rin!" Miku says loudly, sounding annoyed when I enter her house through the front door. I can tell she was already waiting for me to come.<p>

"You asked me to come around noon, right?" I ask while searching for a clock. I find one hanging on the wall and read it. 12.30 pm. I am not that late, right? At least that is what I think.

"You're not, but because of him, I was really expecting you to come faster!" She yells as she points at Kaito, who is sitting on the couch while eating a huge bowl of ice cream. "I didn't even invite him!"

"You _need_ my help, I know it." He says rather carelessly. "I remember that you still have some ice cream and winter is coming and I know you won't be able to eat all of them and you will throw it away later and I don't want them to be wasted just like that so I'm here to eat them."

"Ah, whatever your excuse is… And what's with the 'and' abusement?" Miku says in frustration.

"I'm just helping you, why don't you… at least be thankful of me?" He sighs. Then he looks at me and greets me happily as he gulps another spoonful of ice cream. "Hey, Kagamine-chan! The weather is really good, a perfect time to eat ice cream~"

Miku gives him a weird look before turning back to me as she waves her hand. "Just ignore him, I think he's the only person who is crazy enough to eat ice cream in the middle of winter. And come inside, Rin. It's much warmer inside, and it won't make sense if you go to my house and just stand there until evening."

"I know that." I grin at her and walk inside. "I'm coming to study with you, so I have to get in even though it wasn't warmer." I put my shoes on the rack and follow her inside. "And sorry that I didn't come sooner. I was watching the video Luka-chan gave me." I say, telling her the truth.

She turns her head to me with a confused face. "Luka?"

"Um, my friend." I say, suddenly noticing that I accidentally mentioned her name. I quickly change the topic. "And we're going to study right away?"

"Nah, let's have some snack before that. I'm kind of hungry." Miku says as she walks away to the kitchen.

"Do you need my help?" I ask her.

"No, there's no need to! You can sit on the couch with Kaito-kun, it won't take that long." She says from the kitchen.

"Well, if you said so, then I will. But just ask me if you need some help, okay?" I say while walking to the couch to join Kaito.

"Of course!" She says in reply. At the same time, I plop to the couch and look at Kaito almost immediately.

"Shion-kun, you're continuing to the college, right? Which university do you choose?" I ask him.

"Me?" He asks while pointing at himself. I nod and he pulls his hand back and pauses eating his ice cream. I think he is thinking about something, so I just wait for his answer. After a minute passed, however, he doesn't say anything, but he picks up the spoon and resumes eating.

It doesn't seem like he has made a choice.

"What about you, Kagamine-chan? Where are you going?" He asks me back.

"I actually decide to go to the Arts and Music together with Miku. Well, she said that she wants to study art more and I want to improve my singing." I say. "At first, I really had no choice but I got encouraged by people around me…"

"Oh, so you sing, Kagamine-chan?" He asks with his eyebrows raised.

"N-not really, but sometimes I do, but not in front of public. I wasn't… confident enough to do it. Then, Miku found it out and said I should improve my singing, and… I want to give it a try as well." I say sheepishly. "What about Shion-kun? Anything interests you?"

"Nah, I think singing isn't that bad—it's good, actually. I was in the choir group in my elementary school, and I enjoy singing…" He says, looking at the ceiling as if thinking about something. "It's settled, then. I'm going with you guys."

"Th-that easy?" I ask, feeling as if a huge blob of sweat had just dropped on my head.

"Well, you shouldn't think _that_ hard, actually. It's easy." He says, taking another spoonful of ice cream—doesn't he feel cold?

Having nothing else to say, I start to look around the room. Nothing has really changed with the house—I think it never change since I visit this house for the first time, so I turned to the table in front of me. There's a pile of books that I think are some magazines on the table. I pick it up and flips the page, skimming it. When I'm going to put it back because I don't find anything interesting in the magazine, I find a yellow colored book with no text on the cover. Curious about the context of the blank book, I pick it up and open the page.

Behind the cover are drawings, the whole book is filled with drawings, beautiful drawings. There is a different kind of drawing in each page—sometimes monochrome scenery, and sometimes it's a person or even a bunch of people. At the near-end of the book is colored scenery—it looks like it was neatly colored by some colored pencils. It takes me more than a minute to look at its detail and another minute just to be amazed by the drawing.

I flip the page again, looking at the other drawings which are equally beautiful compared to the previous one. It goes like that until I reach the last page.

On the last page, there is a drawing of a girl who is sitting on the couch while smiling. And the features on the girl's head—from the hair to her clipped bangs—remind me of myself. Could this drawing be me?

"Kagamine-chan, is that you?" Kaito says from my side, and his sudden comment is enough to make me startled—I don't even realize that he's looking at the book and sit this close to me before he spoke. "It looks like a photo."

I agree with him. That drawing looks so real. But why would anyone draw me? Whose book is this, anyway? Miku's book? Or…

"The food's ready now!" Miku announces as she walks away from the kitchen. Kaito immediately stands up at the call and makes his way to the kitchen—I'm surprised that he still wants to eat after eating tubes of ice cream.

"Hey, what do you mean by that? You've ate my ice cream, and now you're going to eat lunch? You're not allowed to." Miku says while walking.

"Ah, Miku-chan… You've prepared the table for three people, don't go tsundere on me~" Kaito says purposely to annoy her.

She ignores his teasing and walks towards me. Apparently she notices that I'm holding something, so she asks. "What're you looking at? I thought you were hungry."

Soon, after she finds out what I am looking at, she exclaims, "Ah! I was looking for that, Len's sketchbook."

The atmosphere changes at the mention of Len. I look back to the book with my head slightly lowered.

Miku notices this and she immediately apologizes, "…Sorry that I reminded you of him."

"It's okay." My voice comes out small and soft.

Miku sighs, noticing the lie in my voice. Then she looks away from the book and speaks. "It has been 6 months… hasn't it?"

I nod and mutter a 'yes' in an even smaller voice. She's right—it has been six months…

…Since Len died.

I have tried to get over the fact that he had died, but everytime I see a picture of him, everytime I hear his name mentioned, I always get reminded that he's no longer here.

And it hurts me a lot.

There isn't going to be any more moment where we have a talk together, where we play together, where we sing together. All gone.

It was quite surprising that it ended like that—he was getting better, but suddenly he gave up just like that. That was what the doctor said to me.

However, Meiko had another story.

At that time, after the accident, Len got his head seriously injured. No one thought that he would survive, but it turned out that he survived and later, he got discharged from the hospital. Actually the doctors knew that the wound hadn't fully healed, and his condition wasn't that great at that moment, but they still let him out.

Why? Because Meiko convinced them that Len had gotten better—after all, she was the one who did the monitoring so they believed in her and they discharge him eventually, though later, everyone knew it wasn't the truth.

Meiko didn't do it for nothing, she had a reason, and she told me what the reason was shortly after Len died.

It was because he had told her that he was going to die.

"_I only have some months to live, Meiko-san. I… I just want to spend the rest of my life doing things normally outside the hospital… Is that… okay?_"

Meiko couldn't say no. She knew that he wasn't lying—some people can feel it when their time is coming—so she did her best to fulfill his wish. It explains why Meiko looked like she was hiding something from me.

There's nothing you can hide only to yourself. At the end, everything will be revealed.

I can feel a drop of water trickling down my cheek. Am I crying?

"It's… It's okay, Rin." Miku says, hugging me to give some comfort. It really ends up like this—I'm crying over Len, and Miku comforts me. It used to be the other way around, right? It's surprising me how things change so fast. "I know… no one's going to teach me how to draw, no one's going to call me 'Miku-nee' anymore. It hurts."

She hugs me tighter while continuing, "But at that time, I've made a promise to myself… that I will be just fine even without him. It's because I always have someone else with me. Someone taught me that." She says while sniffing a bit. "So I thought… it would be good if that person thinks that way as well…"

I stay silent. I don't understand why—maybe because I find it hard to speak properly while crying, or maybe I just don't know what to say.

"I'm always here for you, Rin." Miku says softly. "I'm always here."

As she stops talking, I continue crying—I find it hard to stop. Nothing else we can hear but sobs. It doesn't stop for about 5 minutes. Eventually, I calm down and erase my remaining tears with my finger.

Miku smiles when she sees me calmed down. "There, it's okay, right?" Then she continues after I reply her with a nod. "Just tell me if you're feeling down, okay?"

I nod again, but I feel like laughing inside. The role really has been switched, hasn't it? Thinking it was just a year ago when I started to get closer to her, pulling her out from her own sadness and loneliness.

"Hey, Rin." She calls. "You already know that 'I love Len' is a lie, right? Though it isn't compeletely a lie, I love him as my family—I've told you this as well. But I haven't told you who I really love."

"Are you going to tell me who this person is?" I say with a playful smile that has successfully made her turns her head away.

"I-it's you." She blurts out as she turned her head back so she's looking at me straight in the eyes right now, and her face turns deep red after that.

…She said what? The one she loves is _me_? How come? Why it has to be me? But more importantly, isn't that a bit wrong?

In the middle of my confusion, she repeats again—this time, making the meaning even clearer. "I-it's okay if you don't feel the same way, but I love you, Rin."

I remain speechless. How am I supposed to react to this?

* * *

><p><em>We had just finished our fifth song, and Miku and Luka immediately applaused after that.<em>

_"Another great performance!" Miku said cheerfully._

_Len grinned while having that satisfied expression on his face. "Thank you! It wouldn't be that good without Rin~"_

_"I've said it… I'm not that good…" I said._

_"Of course we know you're not good at it, but you're _really_ good at singing!" He complimented._

_While blushing, I replied. "Um, thank you."_

_"You're welcome anytime, Rin." He said. "Ah, do you want to sing more?"_

_"Eh, what? Isn't that enough?" I protested. My throat was hurting already, I don't want to sing anymore._

_"I would prefer singing until the time ends, but if you said so, then let's take a break." He said as he sat back down to the couch. I did the same thing._

_"Len is all hyped up." Miku commented from the background. "I wonder whether that's good or not…"_

_"It wasn't usually like that?" Luka asked from the background as well._

_"It depends, though." Miku replied._

_The 'me' inside of the video turned to the camera and spoke, "Um, Luka-chan, you can end the recording now."_

_"Is this enough?" She asked me. "Don't regret it later if the video is too short for you if you want to watch it… Well, to remember your friends back in the high school."_

_"The way you said it makes it sounds serious and important, Luka-chan." Miku commented._

_"It's enough for me." I replied. "How about the others?"_

_"I'm just standing at the back of the camera, so it's fine…" Miku said. Luka quickly aimed the camera to Miku after that. "You don't have to shoot me… But well, it's enough. How about Len?"_

_"Nah, for the recording, it's enough. Let's just hope this will last in our memories." He simply said._

_Luka smiled after hearing the answers. "Well then, I guess I will turn this off—"_

Stop.

* * *

><p>~~Because it's done, I guess this author note is going to be long... Read it or not, you can decide.<p>

First, review replies.

STORM-san: I am so sorry for making her like that. Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! Please forgive me! Now I feel bad to her—but, but she's not that bad, right? Say it, she's not that bad, please say it! PLEASE! And thank you for the review... Waa, I'm sorry!

Shadow-Bear123-san: Thank you for reviewing... *pats*

Neelh-san: A hyphen? Or you meant something else? I don't get the meaning, but thank you for the review~

luthor112-san: Was your guess correct? (・ω・) It's the sound of death~ Thank you for the review!

harmonise-san: It's okay (-_-) That beep gets cut off because it'll extend 40 meters further (?) and I'm sorry! I felt like crying when writing that part! But... Um. Rin's not forever alone, though. She has Miku, right? Right? (・ω・) But actually I prefer RinｘLen! Thank you for the review~

RPR-san: RPR-san, this chapter is even longer than the previous one! And Len's dead... *nods* I was just going to post this up but then I saw your review so this is the reply... Quick isn't it... Ah, I'm glad that I was able to answer all your questions~ Thank you for the review and PEACE!

Second, about this story. Er, the idea came from nowhere, but at first it wasn't like this... It's MikuｘLenｘRin instead of RinｘLenｘMiku (→flipped). In the main idea, Rin and Len are siblings. Len tried to commit suicide because he found it sickening that he loved his sister more than what he should. The story goes the same as this story but Miku and Rin's role is flipped and there's no 'dream' thingy... So Miku and Len didn't actually meet each other, but Miku found herself falling for him.

And I thought it's illogical and simply _weird_, so I stopped.

And then suddenly a thought came when listening to Beautiful Dreamer by ナタP (NataP), like... I want to make a story with that title (because that title sounds good), or something related to that... But I found it hard because I didn't think it could be made as a story... So I smashed (?) this idea with that (↑) idea. Come the 'dream' and Luka as the 'dreamer' because... she's the one who sung that song I mentioned before. Random, I know, but... It worked, right? Then, I'm not into twincest-y things that much so~ So it turned out to be like this~

Third, my gratitude. I didn't expect this story to be... better after... well, at first this story barely got any reviews (and views). So, I would like to thank all of you for the support—reading, reviewing, putting it into favorites as well as alerts/follows... I appreciate them, all of them with no exception. Thank you very much!

Until next time~


End file.
